
•' .^ 



<P. ' H O ' -^' 







-n^o^ 




o > 








^<. "'•'' ^^ 








• ' .^^ 
















•\y 



^^-V, '3 



.^q 



'<r^ 






:t 












o ^v^f'^' v'^ 






V^^ 









^^ -v. 



i? o 










^-^..N^* \-i^i^'. \„.<** /.^K-. "^-^^ 




THE "MAGAZINE" HOUSE, 1812 



Erected to store powder from the Decatur works on Second river. 

Tliis stood back of the Summerfield M. E. Church where 

Woodslde Aveuue now runs. Here also was the 

site of the Revolutionary camp ground of 

General Anthony Wayne, 1779, whicli 

stretched north to Second river 



WOODSIDE 

The Nobtb End of Newabe, N. J. 

Its History, Legends and Ghost Stories 



Gathered From the Records and the Older 
Inhabitants Now Living 

By C. G. HINE 



PART I 
Early History. Before 1866 

PART II 

C. C. Hine and his times, briefly covering the period of personal recollections 
and the development of 'Woodside as a residence section 

PART III 
Anecdotes of and matters personal to Mr. C. C. Hine 

APPENDIX 




HINE'S ANNUAL, 1909 



INTRODUCTION. 

I believe that those of long ago who wrote books 
frequently began with an apology to the gentle reader, 
and I am inclined to do likewise, or at least to rise and 
explain. 

The fact is, this narrative was originally undertaken 
merely as a family reminiscence, but Mr. C. C. Hine's 
life was so interwoven with the later life of Woodside 
that what was intended as a brief sketch to illustrate 
a series of photographs has gradually grown into a 
book covering the story of the region now known as 
Woodside as completely as I have been able to gather 
it. This will account for the somewhat personal view 
frequently indulged in and for some of the minor de- 
tails. 

Woodside, until it was opened as a residence sec- 
tion, was a purely farming region whose inhabitants 
went elsewhere for their groceries and religion, and 
as the average farmer thinks more of making hay than 
history, the movement must necessarily be somewhat 
slow. 

Dr. Macauley once said of Woodside: "As God 
"made it it was a beautiful place, but as the hand of 
"man left it I have nothing to say." That the hand of 



II. WOODSIDE. 

man has desecrated it all those who knew its wood- 
lands and waterways twenty-five or more years ago 
can readily testify, but one of its good points even 
man cannot reach, and that is its climate, for it is the 
coolest part of Newark. This in former times was 
unconsciously testified to by the drivers of the old 
horse cars, who were in the habit of shedding their 
coats upon arrival at the cemetery from the north, 
there to hide them among the bushes, and again re- 
sume them on the return trip to Second river. 

This region was then as beautiful a stretch of hill 
and vale and riverside as could well be found. The 
river was clear and sparkling, and fish abounded; 
the call of the whip-poor-will was heard on the even- 
ing air, and the brown thrush sang to us from the 
thicket, while squirrel and hare were always with us. 

Groves of trees were numerous and beautiful. 
"Bird's Woods" along Second river with its magnifi- 
cent old pines and hemlocks, the outer edge of the 
wood fringed with an undergrowth of laurel, while 
partridge berries gleamed from the depths of the moss 
underfoot, made an entrancing spot which has seldom 
been equalled, and the ruins of the old mills along 
the stream gave a picturesque touch that none who 
grew up with the region can forget. 

Effort has been made to give credit for information 
received ; in some cases authority for statements made 
is given in connection with the statements themselves, 
as it is interesting and valuable to know the source. 



INTRODUCTION. III. 

but this is not always practicable, as the same item not 
infrequently comes from several sources and it is occa- 
sionally difficult to blend the varying opinions. 

In a few instances statements made by unknown 
newspaper writers have been used. The stories are 
given for what they are worth, but all of them are part 
of the legend of the region and none have been in- 
vented merely for filling. 

I have honestly done the best I could in gathering 
and arranging the material. Now and then I have 
come on a mine of information in such friends as Mrs. 
Henry J. Winser and Messrs. E. A. Boyden, James S. 
Taylor and James Swinnerton, but it has been mostly 
here a little and there a little, and for such help I ac- 
knowledge indebtedness to Mr. W. E. Blewett, Jr., 
Mr. E. A. Boyden, Miss J. F. Bradford, Mrs. R. H. 
Brewster, Mr. Edward Burling, Mr. R. Smith Carter, 
Mr. James E. Coombes, Mr. Frank S . Crane, Mrs. 
Henry Davis, Miss Anna B. Farrand, Mrs. A. H. 
Gibbs, Messrs. Levi C. and William H. Jackson, Mrs. 
Margaret H. Kay, Mr. J. Edwin Keen, Mr. John Mor- 
ris Keen, Mr. Thomas Kinsey, Mr. David Maclure, 
Mr. James C. McDonald, Mrs. John R. Mathews, Mr. 
Theodore Melius, Rev. Henry Merle Mellen, Mr. 
Henry B. Munn, Mr. Lincoln B. Palmer, Mrs. 
Margaret Perry, Miss and Messrs. Phillips, Mr. Henry 
C. Rommel, Mr. Arthur E. Sandford, Miss. J. A. Sid- 
man, Judge Alfred F. Skinner, Mr. William Stimis, 
Mr. James Swinnerton, Miss Laura M. Sydenham, Mr. 



IV. WOODSIDK. 

James S. Taylor. Mr. L. P. Teller. Judge Jay Ten 
Eyck, Mrs. Mar\' E. Tucker. Dr. Grens-ille M. Weeks. 
Mrs. Emma F. Welch. Mrs. E. M. Wessel. Mrs. 
Henry J. Winser. 

I am also indebted to the Ne\rark Public Libran,-. 
the New Jersey Historical Society and the New York 
Historical Society*', and to the real estate records of 
the Fidelity Tnist Company. 

Through the courtesy and co-operation of Mr. 
Charles Grant Schaeffer. Principal of the Elliott 
Street School, the school children entered into a com- 
petition for a cover design for this book which re- 
sulted in the selection of the design submitted by Miss 
Edna Eckert. a pupil in the Eighth B Grade, 



PART I. 




WOODSIDE 
IN 1849. 



Enlarged from Sidney's map of "Twelve Miles Around New York", 
pubUshed in 1849 



GENERAL HISTORY. 

MOODSIDE was originally included in the 
Newark grant, which extended north "to 
the Third River above the towne, ye 
River is called Yauntakah". For a long time those of 
this region in common with those of Belleville, were 
known as the "Inhabitants of the Second River". 
But Newark on March ii, 1743, having become tired 
of supporting the poor of so large a district, narrowed 
its borders, drawing a line on the north just be- 
low the eastern end of the Gully road to the "Boiling 
Spring". 

THE FIRST BOUNDARIES OF WOODSIDE. 

The description given in the Town Meeting of 
March 11, 1743, reads as follows: "Beginning at Pas- 
"saick River, at the Gulley near the House of Doct'r 
"Pigot, thence North West (Northeast?) to Second 
"River, thence up the same to the Saw Mill belonging 
"to George Harrison, thence a direct Line to the North 
"East Comer of the Plantation of Stephen Morris, 
"thence to the Notch in the Mountain leaving William 
"Crane's House to the Southward, thence on a direct 
"line to Stephen Van siles, thence Westwardly (East- 
"wardly?) to Passaick River leaving said Van siles 
"Bars and Abraham Francisco's to the Northward of 
"s'd Line: and it was agreed, that all on the North- 



2 WOODSIDE. 

*'ward of s'd Lines should be esteemed Inhabitants of 
"Second River, and zdl on the Southward of the Body 
"of Newark, excepting Levi Vincent, Johanes Kiper 
"and his Son Thomas Cadmus. John Low desired that 
"himself and his Father might be reconed or esteemed 
"Inhabitants of Second River, since they belonged to 
"that Society." 

This is a verbatim copy taken from the "Newark 
Town Records", but I do not know just what it 
means unless some previous copyist stood on his head 
when putting down the points of the compass. 

AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY. 

For nearly one hundred years this region was 
a portion of Bloomfield, or Wardesson, as it was 
formerly known, and when in 1839 Belleville was set 
off from eastern Bloomfield, Woodside became a part 
of the newer township, and so remained until March 
24, 1869, when it became independent of all outside 
control. 

At this time its boundaries extended from the mouth 
of Second river along the west bank of the Passaic 
to a point immediately below the Gully road, thence 
west a little south to the Boiling Spring, cutting 
across Second avenue above Mount Prospect avenue, 
thence almost northeast to a point on the canal just 
above what is now known as the "butter works"; 
thence southeast a quarter mile or so to Second river 
which it crossed and continued with Mill street as 
its northern limit as far as the Back road, from 



GENERAL HISTORY. 3 

which point Second river was itself the dividing line 
to its mouth at the Passaic. 

WOODSIDE SUBMERGED. 

But, alas! on the fifth of April, 1871, our independ- 
ence was lost forever and most of us were turned 
over to the tender mercies of the Newark politicians, 
who have ever since exercised a wonderful ingenuity 
in taxing us poor inhabitants to the limit and giv- 
ing as little in retiu'n as possible. In fact the only 
thing we get for our taxes, aside from the fire depart- 
ment service, is an occasional policeman, who comes 
twice each year with tickets to sell for ball or excur- 
sion. Does the road need paving or sewering, the 
cost is assessed on the abutting property, and so is it 
with sidewalks, and even with the shade trees which 
the city fathers insist are good for us, and having 
planted them they send us a bill therefor. The Wood- 
sider has never yet been able to ascertain what he is 
taxed for, unless it is to keep the politicians in good 
running order. This remark should be qualified to some 
extent so far as the police are concerned, for no locality 
could have a better protector than Mounted Officer 
Niblo, who has long been on this post and who, we 
hope, will long remain ; there is also a patrolman who 
does his duty as though his job depended on it, but 
the majority of them seem to have the true politician's 
idea as to what is good for them. 

The sin was legalized by "An Act to divide the 
"township of Woodside between the City of Newark 
"and the township of Belleville". 



4 WOODSIDE. 

The boundary of Woodside is given as "beginning 
"at the intersection of the centre of the Second river 
"with the centre of the Passaic river; thence (i) 
"running southerly along the centre of the Passaic 
"river, the several courses thereof, to the northerly 
"line of the city of Newark (just below Gully road) ; 
"thence (2) westerly along the said line of the city of 
"Newark to the centre of the Great Boiling spring, at 
"the line of the township of Bloomfield; thence (3) 
"northerly along said line to the centre of Branch 
"brook; thence (4) northeasterly along the centre of 
"said brook, the several courses thereof, to the centre 
"of Second river ; thence (5) down along the centre of 
"Second river, the several courses thereof, to the 
"centre of Passaic River, and the place of beginning." 

All of the township of Woodside not included 
within the above mentioned boundaries was annexed 
to the township of Belleville. 

James S. Gamble, Horace H. Nichols and Charles 
Akers, of the township of Woodside, were among 
the commissioners appointed to see that the division 
was properly carried out. 

The act was approved April 5, 1871. 

The transition from independence to slavery was 
engineered, I am told, by three men for personal and 
selfish motives, and it gives me great pleasure to re- 
cord that all three were sadly left. One longed to be 
sheriff, but must live in Newark to secure the nomina- 
tion, and did not wish to remove from this pleasant 
land; the two others were holders of considerable 



GENERAL HISTORY. 5 

property, and it was their hope that a boom in build- 
ing lots would set in that would materially fatten 
their pocketbooks, and so in some dark and mysteri- 
ous way our model township was ceded to Newark. 

But the politician failed of election and the lots did 
not sell, and "one of the disappointed real estate 
"owners, like Judas Iscariot, went out and hanged 
"himself". 

Once the place belonged to Newark the street car 
company could, of course, do what it liked with the 
roadway, and it shortly proceeded to regrade (I had 
almost said degrade) Washington avenue above El- 
wood, utterly destroying the carefully laid out park- 
way on which property owners had spent much 
thought and money. Terraces and trees were ruth- 
lessly cut down and, to provide a dumping place for 
the earth removed, Oraton street was cut through 
and filled in with the Washington avenue debris. 
"Ichabod was written upon the avenue and the fine 
"name of Oraton could in no way lend dignity to the 
"new street", which at that time was largely given 
over to negroes and laborers. 

THE OLD ROADS OF WOODSIDE. 
Until 1865 Woodside was a purely agricultural 
district, except for the factories along Second river, 
and contained but four roads of any moment. The 
River road, the Back road to Belleville, the old 
Bloomfield or Long Hill road and the lower road from 
Belleville to Bloomfield, known as Murphy's lane. 



6 WOODSIDE. 

There was also one cross road known as Division 
road or Bootleg lane, because of its shape ; this is now 
given over to Halleck street and Grafton avenue, with 
that bit of Washington avenue which lies between. 

HOW WE ARE TO PROCEED. 

The history and legend, dating before 1867, so far 
as I have been able to find them, will be taken up 
guidebook fashion by following each road in turn and 
pointing out its wonders as we proceed. 



THE RIVER ROAD. 



THE RIVER ROAD. 

"The road to 'Hocquackanong' was laid out from 
''the north end of Newark, as the path then ran, 
"through the village named, passing the north end of 
"the Acquackanonk meeting house and thence to 
"Pompton". This was recorded March 16, 1707, and 
must refer to the River road, though probably all the 
laying out it received was on paper. 

The Indians from Paterson and beyond had a well 
defined trail along the river bank which led to New- 
ark Bay, and the early settlers probably used this 
without attempting much improvement. 

THE GULLY ROAD. 

As we travel northward the River road naturally 
begins with the Gully road. As far back as tradition 
goes and the old maps show, the Gully road has ex- 
isted, but there is a theory that the Indian trail, of 
which the River road is an expansion, continued 
down the river bank, and one bit of folk-lore which 
remains indicates that this may have been so. 

A GULLY ROAD GHOST. 

The legend tells us that so long ago that those 
who tell the story cannot compute the time, there 
lived at the present junction of Washington avenue 



8 WOODSIDE. 

and the Gully road an aged couple in a simple cot 
that hardly kept them from the weather. There was 
then a small stream that claimed the gully for its own, 
but as time went on the brook gradually dried up, and 
as gradually people from the back country began to 
use its bed as a highway. As traffic grew the cottage 
was found to lie in the way of travelers, and one night 
it was ruthlessly torn down over the head of its de- 
fenseless occupant, for by this time only one was left. 

The resultant exposure proved fatal, the old set- 
tler being unable to survive the shock, and ever after 
has his ghost walked the Gully road. The ghost has 
not been seen for thirty years or more, but one who 
has actually met the vision, a lady of years and educa- 
tion, tells me that she distinctly saw it one dark Sun- 
day afternoon, about 1879, while on her way to 
church. 

Though a resident here for several years she had 
never heard of the Gully road ghost, nor did she 
know that the region was haunted, but in the darkest 
and loneliest part of the road she encountered a nebu- 
lous shape about the size of a human being, standing 
at a gate which gave entrance to one of the few places 
along the road. My informant was young then, and 
more easily frightened than now, but she saw too dis- 
tinctly to believe that she could have been mistaken. 
It appears that the lady had disregarded the biblical 
injunction to obey her husband, for he did not wish 
her to go to church at that particular time, but she, 
being contrary minded, insisted, and it seems highly 



THE RIVER ROAD. 9 

probable that the ghost was sent to warn her back into 
path of obedience. Hurrying back she informed her 
husband, but nothing more was seen of the apparition 
and it was some time later that she learned that the 
road was haunted and heard the above story from an 
old settler. 

INDIAN RELICS FOUND IN THE GULLY ROAD. 

The present level of the Gully road is much lower 
than it was even fifty years ago, and there is a legend 
that one hundred and fifty years ago a great freshet 
cut out large quantities of earth here, but the higher 
level could hardly have been of long duration, for Mrs. 
Gibbs recalls that a number of years ago,* while work- 
men were digging a trench, possibly for the sewer, 
they brought up what are thought to have been In- 
dian relics from a depth of twelve feet or more. Mr. 
Gibbs's brother was passing at the moment of dis- 
covery and tried to purchase the find from the man in 
charge, as he regarded it of considerable ethnological 
value, but the contractor refused to sell, and when Mr. 
Gibbs and his brother returned to the spot the men 
had gone and their discovery with them, and to-day 

* Since the above was put in type I have found one of the 
laborers who was employed in building the sewer through the 
Gully road. He tells me that this was about fourteen years ago, 
that the And occurred just east of the entrance to the Gibbs place 
on the north edge of the road, and consisted of four or five Indian 
skeletons with many stone hammers, arrow points, etc. My in- 
formant is under the impression that the burial place was exten- 
sive and only partially uncovered. 



10 WOODSIDE. 

the exact character of the find is not known. Other 
Indian finds in this immediate neighborhood are a 
stone mortar and pestle and many arrow points on 
the Gibbs place. On the Sandford place, just above, a 
stone mortar hollowed out of a heavy block long stood 
by the well. This was kept filled with water for the 
chickens to drink from. When the place was regraded 
this stone disappeared, it having been probably 
buried. 

From the fact that Indians would hardly dig to 
any such depth as indicated above, it is fair to pre- 
sume that the filling in may have been comparatively 
recent ; possibly some great storm had washed masses 
of earth down into the gully. 

The Gully road is now well paved and lighted and 
much affected by that brazen highwayman the auto- 
mobile, but there was a time when it was a dark and 
lonesome place where no honest man desired to be 
caught after dark ; where it is said smugglers filed by 
during the silent watches of the night, the deserted 
river bank here being a favorite rendezvous for those 
whose deeds were evil. 

OLD MOLL DE GROW. 

Sixty years or so ago a stone wall ran from the 
bend of the Gully road, near the river diagonally to 
Belleville avenue, across the property now occupied by 
the cemetery. Beside this stone wall was buried the 
first person interred on the site of the cemetery — a 
noted witch, old Moll DeGrow, the fear of whose 



THE RIVER ROAD. 11 

shade lent greatly to the terrors of the Gully seventy- 
five years ago. 

This witch was used by the elders as a bugaboo to 
keep the children indoors after dark, and she appears 
to have been eminently useful and successful in this 
capacity. The Gully road was as black as a black 
hat on a moonless night, and one who ventured abroad 
at such a time never could tell when he or she might 
be grabbed by the powers of darkness. During the 
long Winter evenings these farmer and fisher folk 
were wont to amuse and scare themselves, as well as 
the children, by relating all manner of ghostly experi- 
ences. Mrs. Henry Davis recalls how, as a child, she 
used to crawl up to bed so terrified after an evening 
of witch stories that she could hardly move, her one 
thought being to get under the bed clothes as quickly 
as possible, where she would all but smother. 

Under such circiunstances the ghost of a witch 
was a powerful combination for evil, and particularly 
so when it was such a witch as old Moll, who was so 
much a terror to the neighborhood that there was talk 
of burning her in order to rid the community of her 
undesirable presence, but fortunately she died before 
this feeling culminated in a tragedy. Mrs. Henry 
Davis well remembers hearing her mother (a former 
Miss King) tell this as a fact. 

BODY SNATCHING. 
In the early days of the cemetery, when it was in- 
closed by a high wooden fence, there was consider- 



12 WOODSIDE. 

able talk of body-snatching, and one of the men in 
charge of the grounds was strongly suspected. 

Old Mrs. Holt walking down the Gully road one 
night saw, standing in the darkest shadow, an old 
fashioned undertaker's wagon, and hearing voices of 
men, stepped back among the bushes out of harm's 
way. Soon she saw three men against the night sky 
standing on the high ground of the cemetery. One 
carried a lantern while the other two had a long 
bundle shrouded in white. He with the lantern 
stopped on the ridge, while the others kept down the 
slope. Now they lifted their bundle to the top of the 
fence where one man steadied it while the other 
climbed over. When both were over the body was 
taken down and placed in the wagon. The man on the 
hill, whose voice Mrs. Holt recognized, called good- 
night to the men in the road and they responded as 
the wagon rapidly drove toward Newark. 

THE DEVIL IN THE GULLY ROAD. 

How John Thompson saw the Devil in the Gully 
road was once told by himself in a moment of great 
confidence, for ordinarily he would never speak of the 
adventure. 

About *68 or '69 John worked for Mr. Melius 
on the River road, and it was noticed that when called 
on to drive down town after dusk for his employer 
he invariably went the long way round — Grafton and 
Washington avenues — and when coming back with 
Mr. M. he would shut his mouth the moment they 



THE RIVER ROAD. 13 

entered within the dark precincts of the Gully and say 
never a word until they were well beyond the black 
shadow of its overhanging trees. 

It seems that John was originally a river man and 
that he sailored under Captain Nichols, whose pro- 
fanity was one of his notable points ; he had a varied 
assortment of swear-words and a proficiency in their 
use that made the efforts of ordinary mortals pale into 
insignificance. 

For some reason not explained the schooner was 
held up in Newark one day, and as the Captain lived 
in Belleville there was nothing for it but to walk home. 
John Thompson went along for, of course, neither one 
of the seamen thought much of the storm that was 
raging, even if the rain did come down in torrents 
which soaked them through. 

It certainly did look dark and creepy to John as he 
peered into the black hole of the Gully road, and 
though he was himself a gentleman of color and 
matched up with a dark night first rate, he ever 
fancied daylight for such places, but the Captain went 
plunging on into the shadows and John could but 
follow. 

The Captain had used up his stock of cuss-words, 
and while in the very darkest part of the tunnel com- 
menced all over again and was going fine when a sud- 
den, blinding flash of lightning discovered to John, 
who was in the rear, a third man walking between 
them and chuckling every time the Captain swore. 
Before the light went out John saw that the man was 



14 WOODSIDE. 

dressed like a parson and that his clothes appeared 
to be dry in spite of the heavy downpour. A second 
flash showed a most alarming state of things: the 
stranger was on fire, smoke or steam was escaping 
from every crevice, but still he chuckled as the Cap- 
tain ripped out all manner of strange oaths, and did 
not seem to pay any attention to his own internal com- 
bustion; even in the dark his glee could be heard 
bubbling forth, nor could the pounding of the storm 
drown it. By this time the Captain's attention was 
also attracted, and when a third flash enabled them to 
see that their unknown companion had hoofs their 
worst suspicions were realized and both men broke 
and ran for Belleville as fast as two pairs of scared 
legs could carry them, while the Devil laughed long 

and loud at their dismay. 

A LOVER'S LANE. 

Another man once ran against a cow in the Gully 
road one dark night and was considerably worked up 
over the adventure for the moment. The unfortunate 
part of it was that he lingered long enough to dis- 
cover that it was a cow, else we might have had an- 
other story of these darksome terrors. The horns and 
hoofs were there, and all that was needed was a little 
more imagination and not quite so much practicality. 
But not all the stories of the Gully road are of such 
fearful things as these. It was a way of surpassing 
beauty when lighted by the sun, and a lover's lane 
that fairly blossomed with loving couples on pleasant 
Sunday afternoons, when the sighing of the wind in 



THE RIVER ROAD. 15 

the trees was but an echo of the happy sighs below. 
Many a life contract has been signed, sealed and de- 
livered within its confines; in fact I have heard of 
one youth who proposed on the way back from a boat 
race, the romantic influence of the place with its 
glamor of shady nooks being quite too much for his 
equanimity. 

GHOST OF A BRITISH SPY. 

Then there was the English spy who, legend says, 
was captured by a party of Americans and promptly 
hanged on the limb of a large tree that stood at the 
bend of the road. His ghost was for long a sad handi- 
cap to the neighorhood and, singular as it may seem, 
he is said to have played his wildest pranks with those 
who placed the greatest faith in him. But since the 
spread of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery down toward 
his abode little or nothing has been heard of his do- 
ings. One theory is that of late he has come within 
the orbits of so many other ghosts, but of a more re- 
spectable and orderly character, that he has become 
inextricably tangled, much as is reported of wireless 
messages when many amateurs assault the air. 

HENRY WILLIAM HERBERT. 

About fifty years ago Henry William Herbert, who 
wrote under the name of Frank N. Forrester, resided 
on the river bank within the present limits of the ceme- 
tery, his place being known as "The Cedars". A 
queer, romantic figure about which much of fiction as 
well as truth has been woven. 



16 WOODSIDE. 

To Mr. Boyden and others, whose youth was spent 
about here, this strange figure was a familiar sight, for 
the recluse used almost daily to walk down town, his 
shoulders enveloped in a shawl, and always with a 
troop of dogs at his heels. Those who so remember 
him rather resent the fact that his brawls have been 
made much of and his virtues neglected by such as 
write of him, for they recall him as an attractive man 
and pleasant companion with many kindly qualities. 
Herbert generally made a call at the Black Horse 
tavern which then stood at the "Stone Bridge", and 
after a short stay would continue on to the Park 
House. He was apt to be brusque with those he did 
not like, and when "beyond his depth" through too 
great conviviality inclined to be ugly when opposed. 

He was bom in London April 7, 1807, and was 
educated at an English college. He came to New 
York in 1831, supporting himself by teaching and 
later by writing short stories, historical novels and 
books on sports, his "Field Sports of America" soon 
making his name a familiar one to the lovers of gun 
and rod. 

A Newarker, who has written of him from personal 
knowledge, says: — 

"It is a difficult matter to sift the good from the 
"bad in Herbert's character. He was in truth a most 
"rare and singular being if he did not possess some 
"virtues. 

"When writing his celebrated work, 'Field Sports 
"of America', he had access to the Newark Library; 



THE RIVER ROAD. 17 

"not content with the privileges there afforded, he cut 
"out bodily leaves from 'The Encyclopedia Britannica', 
"evidently unmindful of the selfishness and criminal- 
"ity of the act. There are some men made up of in- 
"consistencies, and a strange agglomeration of moods. 
"Herbert was one of them. 

"There is nothing associated with Herbert's life 
"that is apt to strike a stranger favorably. He was a 
"direct antithesis of Irving, who possessed a certain 
''magnetic influence. The truth is Irving was a good 
"man and Herbert was not. Herbert was endowed 
"with rare genius, and those who have a desire to be- 
"come convinced of this fact should read his works; 
"they tower as far above the general literary produc- 
"tions of to-day as does the Oregon pine over the 
"tender sapling. His characters are finely drawn — not 
"overdrawn — his heroines are as pure as the purest, 
"and his villains— distinctive in their characteristics — 
" 'act well their parts*. Though not an extensive verse 
"writer, Herbert was the author of some very credit- 
"able poetry, his translation of .ffischylus's 'Prome- 
"theus Bound* and 'Agamemnon* show ripe scholar- 
"ship and otherwise redound to his credit. 

"In several of his novels the subject of this sketch 
"has portrayed his own character far better than it has 
"been or can be done by another. Whatever Her- 
"bert's defects, as an author he was of the highest 
"order ; he was a voluminous writer and a fine trans- 
"lator. 'Marmaduke Wyvil*, 'Cromwell' and 'The 
"Roman Traitor* are works that stand in the front 



18 WOODSIDE. 

"rank of their class, while among his translations M. 
"Thiers's 'Life of the First Consul* is one of the 
"standard works of literature. In his historical novels 
"he approaches nearer Sir Walter Scott than any au- 
*'thor I have been privileged to read. He was, in fact, 
"a dual character — an enigma. His genius merits ad- 
"miration, and it is safe to say that his fame will not 
"die with the century that gave him birth." 

Many are the stories told to show his eccentric 
character and occasional violence. During summer 
days he would place himself on the bank of the river 
with a gun and thereaten to shoot passing boatmen 
unless they came on shore at his bidding, but no 
sooner did they land than Herbert would disappear, 
leaving the affrighted oarsmen in a state of perplexity 
as to what next. It sounds much like a fool trick from 
this distance, but his reputation made the experience 
anything but a pleasant one. 

Conviviality was the order of the night at The 
Cedars, Herbert being much in the habit of inviting 
friends to enjoy what he termed the hospitality of the 
place. On one such occasion four guests were drinking 
with him, when the host suddenly sprang to his feet 
and produced from a small closet two swords and, 
throwing one on the table, ordered one of those pres- 
ent to defend himself. Recognizing that the affair 
might terminate seriously, one of the guests kicked 
over the table, throwing the lamp to the floor and en- 
veloping the room in sudden darkness. The party 
"broke up" then and there, and the company made for 



THE RIVER ROAD. 19 

the Gully road that they might live to fight another 
day. Herbert was thoroughly crazed by this time, 
and chased his friends up to and down Belleville 
avenue. Finally the pursued separated and the pur- 
suer kept on after one of them even to the Black Horse 
tavern (Broad street and Belleville avenue), where an 
escape was effected. 

THE HARE AND TORTOISE. 

A race modeled on ^sop's fable is by no means 
an everyday occurrence, but Herbert was by no means 
an everyday citizen. He seems to have been as fond 
of a joke as he is said to have been of a bottle, and 
these two loves furnished a modem version of 
the Hare and Tortoise fable. The following facts arc 
given me by Mr. James S. Taylor, who was an eye 
witness of the event, and who secured missing details 
from one of the participants later. 

But before going on with the story suppose we hear 
what the local poet had to say on the subject : — 

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE. 

This is the tale of a race 

That long years gone took place 

On the broad river Passaic 

When times were archaic. 

And here are the facts in the case : 

One Herbert of eccentric renown 

Challenged a friend, of the town. 

And a supper of game 

Should be prize for the same. 

And with plenty of wine washed down. 



20 WOODSIDE. 

The challenged was clumsy at rowing 

And his boat very poor was at going, 

While Herbert's was light 

And his rowing a sight 

To set all his backers a-crowing. 

But, like the hare in the ancient race, 

Herbert likewise did slacken his pace, 

And soon sought his ease 

'Neath the leaves where the trees 

On the waters their shadows did trace. 

A bottle he had from the vine 
And was having a jolly good time, 
When his friend labored by, 
To whom Herbert did cry: 
"Stop in and have sup of my wine." 

But the tortoise kept steadily at work 
While the hare on the bank still did shirk — 
Where drink of the gods held him fast, 
Where the cool, dark shadows were cast 
And the scent of wild flowers did lurk. 

The end came as it should in such case, 

For the tortoise, though slow, won the race, 

And 'twas Herbert who paid for that supper of game. 

The story is ended, but for details of same 

We'll drop into prose for a space. 

Herbert was well acquainted with Frank Harri- 
son, veteran of the war with Mexico and keeper of the 
North Ward Hotel on Broad street, opposite Bridge. 
At some convivial point in his existence he suggested 



THE RIVER ROAD. 21 

to Harrison that the two have a boat race on the Pas- 
saic, from Belleville to Newark, the prize to be a game 
supper, and the latter, being game himself, though no 
boatman, accepted the challenge. 

The only condition or obligation of the race was 
that they should start together, and that the first man 
to cross the finishing line should win. Each could 
choose his own boat and suit himself as to rowing. 
Herbert, living on the river, had a light boat which 
he knew how to handle, was familiar with the cur- 
rents and eddies and was moreover a good oarsman, 
while his opponent knew nothing of the Passaic or its 
ways. The day was warm, the start was made on 
time and Harrison received the inverted plaudits of the 
company assembled for the occasion, for it seemed to 
these wise ones that there could be but one end to such 
an event. Herbert was away promptly and soon out 
of sight around the bend where Second river loses its 
identity, while the dispenser of strong waters was yet 
finding himself, but as he rowed our eccentric friend 
became warm and a black bottle, which he had 
brought along for company, looked up at him from 
the bottom of the boat with an invitation he could not 
resist. 

He was now well on his way and still his an- 
tagonist was not in sight, therefore, hurry seemed out 
of place, and then the cool depths of the tree-shaded 
river bank looked inviting and, thinking to tarry but 
a moment, he put the boat about for the shore. 

Once on shore and stretched at his ease the neces- 



22 WOODSIDE. 

sity for any race at all did not appear plain to our 
hero and he gurgled the time away, blissfully careless 
as to what might happen out in the hot sunshine. 
Thus the second boat came along, passed and con- 
tinued on down toward the goal. Possibly Herbert 
thought he could at any time overtake his clumsy an- 
tagonist, possibly he did not go so far in his specula- 
tions; whatever his idea was, the tortoise won the 
race and the game supper. 

Herbert shot himself in the Stevens House, New 
York, on May 17, 1858. He was buried in Mount 
Pleasant Cemetery, overlooking the river he knew so 
well, and his epitaph, which he is said to have sug- 
gested himself, is the single Latin word "Infelice". 

EARLIER DWELLERS SOUTH OF THE GULLY ROAD. 

In 1743 a Dr. Edward Pigot lived hereabouts, as 
is noted in the Town Meeting of that year, quoted 
elsewhere; who he was or whence he came is not 
for me to say. In 1791 Abraham Sandford, Jr., and 
Elisha Sandford, lived in an old house on the site of 
the Herbert house, while building the Sandford dwell- 
ing, which still stands nearly opposite the Point 
House. As early as 1680 the property was owned by 
Henry Rowe, and remained in the possession of the 
family until about 18 12. Mary Rowe, a witch, lived 
in a cabin here, and may be the same person referred 
to elsewhere as Moll De Grow. 

After that I find no record of a dwelling here 
until Herbert built. After his death this house was 



THE RIVER ROAD. 23 

occupied for a short time by Mr. Joseph S. Rano, a 
shoemaker by trade, and a great hunter and a haunter 
of the river and its banks ; then came Mr. Sanchez y 
Dolce, who resided here until the dwelling was de- 
stroyed by fire. Then came the cemetery, and it is 
now the dwelling place of many dead. 

GREEN ISLAND. 

Those who only know the Passaic of to-day can 
hardly realize that there was once a "Green Island" 
lying off the northern end of Mount Pleasant Ceme- 
tery which was a noted rendezvous for wild ducks and 
geese, with enough water between it and the shore 
to enable river craft to navigate the channel. 

This Green Island was a thorn in the side of the 
cemetery people, who purchased it for $i,ooo, or 
thought they did; but soon came those who bluffed 
them into buying it over again, and this time they 
paid $10,000. When the Erie came it claimed that the 
cemetery had no rights in Green Island at all, and 
calmly pre-empted it for trackage purposes, 

OF FISH AND FISHING. 

Seventy-five years ago this was a hunter's paradise, 
and even within the memory of some of us old codgers 
the fishing for shad and smelts was a well established 
industry. In fact, the fishing rights of Green Island 
were for hire, as I am told that one could rent them 
for a day or a week and do his own fishing. Old Fink, 
whoever he was, once gathered in five hundred shad 
in one haul; at least one of his contemporaries does 



24 WOODSIDE. 

solemnly affirm such to have been the case, and an- 
other as calmly tells me that fourteen bushels of 
smelts were the reward of two hauls, of which he had 
cognizance. 

This almost sounds as if we were again on the 
lake of Gennesaret. But still greater wonders are re- 
corded by Mr. William Stimis, eighty-seven years 
of age, who has heard his father say that he had seen 
1,200 shad caught in one haul, and he, William, with 
three others, gathered in 120 bushels of smelts in one 
night. He also tells of a striped bass weighing sixty- 
six pounds, sturgeon six feet long and of a host of 
lesser fish that swam the Passaic. 

THE SMELT OF THE PASSAIC RIVER. 

In Graham's American Monthly Magazine, 1854, 
appears a "Memoir on the Smelt of the Passaic River", 
by Frank Forrester, from which the following brief 
facts are taken : — 

The author was fond of classical allusions and 
high sounding phrases, and devotes two of his four 
pages to telling us how much he knows of things that 
do not pertain to the subject in hand, but when he 
gets down to "the delicious little fish known as the 
Smelt" we learn that it is the smallest of the salmon 
family, that the American smelt is larger than, and 
superior to, the European variety, and that its zoologi- 
cal name "osmerus" is from the Greek, and means "to 
give forth a perfume", this having reference to the 
peculiar odor of cucumbers it exhales when fresh. 

The smelt of the Passaic and Raritan rivers was 



THE RIVER ROAD. 25 

an entirely different fish from that of the Connecticut 
and more eastern rivers, and commanded a far higher 
price in the New York markets, though much smaller, 
the majority being under six inches in length while 
the eastern smelt averages eleven to twelve inches. 
The whole fish was of the most brilliant pearly silver, 
with the slightest possible changeable hue of greenish 
blue along the back, "The peculiar cucumber odor, in 
the freshly caught fish, and the extreme delicacy of 
the fiesh, both of which are (1854) ^^ ^^^ superior in 
the fish of the Passaic, as to be obvious to the least 
inquisitive observer". This Passaic smelt Mr. Her- 
bert found agreed in every particular with the descrip- 
tion of the European smelt. 

In the springs of 1853-4 ^^o school of fish, either 
shad or smelt, ran up the river owing, it was believed, 
to the establishment of a chain ferry about a mile 
above Newark bay. Mr. Herbert never knew of a 
well authenticated case where the smelt had been 
taken with bait, but states that they could be taken 
with the scarlet Ibis fiy, and that he had himself killed 
them thus on the Passaic. 

Two well known figures of the Green Island waters 
were those of the "Two Horaces", as they were 
called, Messrs. Horace H. Nichols and Horace Carter, 
brothers-in-law, neighbors and good friends. They 
constructed a comfortable boat for the purpose and 
might have been seen almost any pleasant afternoon, 
when the fishing was on, placidly waiting for a bite. 



26 WOODSIDE. 

THE POINT HOUSE. 

When the Erie came it drove spiles into the tender 
bosom of Green Island, and in time filled in a solid 
road bed, and where we once hunted for the roots and 
buds of the calamus docks have been built and filled 
in, and our island has lost its identity. All this filling 
has so changed the outline of the river bank that it is 
not now evident why the "Point House" was so 
named, though there was a time when this was a well 
developed point. 

Accounts differ somewhat as to the old-time own- 
ers of the Point House property, even the same man 
does not altogether agree with himself on this point. 
It is said that Judge Elias Boudinot, a Newarker, 
secured the property from the state, there being no 
other claimant for it. It was probably purchased on 
November 12, 1799, from the Judge by Abraham Van 
Emburgh who, about 18 10-14, left suddenly for parts 
unknown because of a financial panic in the Van Em- 
burgh family. 

The property was sold by order of the court on July 
24, 181 1, to Thomas Whitlock who, on August 22, 
181 1, sold it to Peter Sandford; his heirs disposed of 
it on February 8, 1832, to William Duncan, John Cun- 
ningham, Sebastian Duncan and John Duncan. An- 
other account makes Simeon Stivers an owner one 
himdred years ago, and also mentions one William 
Glasby and Miles I'Anson as subsequent owners. 




THE POINT HOUSE 
Said to be 150 years olrl. The scene of many a stor7 and incident 



THE RIVER ROAD. 27 

PHCEBE KING AND THE POINT HOUSE. 

That the Point House was a place of resort at an 
early date would appear from the following anecdote 
told me by Mrs. R. H. Brewster, a granddaughter of 
that Phoebe King who furnished the original material 
for the story, and who lived just below in the King 
house. The incident occurred before 1820, and came 
to Mrs. Brewster from her mother. 

During certain seasons of the year the men of the 
neighborhood were in the habit of going on what were 
known as fishing trips on the river, but though they 
fished within sight of their own doors, they would 
remain away from home for two or three days, us- 
ing the Point House, which was then run by a woman, 
as headquarters, and here they indulged in what were 
technically known as "fish dinners", and these fish 
dinners, it would appear, were conducive to more or 
less conviviality. The fact that "Poddy", husband of 
Phoebe, was much troubled with gout in later years 
may have been due to an excess of fish, or something 
taken at this time — ^however this is merely surmise. 

Phoebe, it seems, came to the conclusion that her 
good man was eating too many fish dinners, and she 
said something to this effect, even going so far, when 
no attention was paid to her first hint, as to suggest 
that she might blow up the Point House if "Poddy" 
did not change his method of fishing, but he forgot 
all about it the next time one of his cronies came along 
and off he went again. Thus things ran along some 
two years or more until one day Phoebe discovered a 



28 WOODSIDE. 

ladder standing against the side of the Point House, 
next the kitchen chimney, at a time when a "fish din- 
ner" was hatching, and as our story opens a great 
chowder was brewing over the fire at the bottom of 
that chimney. Phoebe saw her opportunity and 
grasped it; procuring a long string, a small bag and 
what she thought was powder enough to give the fish- 
erman a scare, she proceeded to work. But as the re- 
sult shows she underestimated the ability of good 
black powder to do things. 

With the powder inclosed in the bag and the bag 
fast to one end of the string the good wife cautiously 
ascended to the roof and, carefully placing the bag 
just over the chimney's edge, she then came back to 
earth and, walking as far as the string would permit, 
let it go and hurried home. The result was even more 
conclusive than she had anticipated, for the explosion 
that followed not only distributed the chowder with 
absolute impartiality to the expectant company gath- 
ered around the hearth, but also removed a portion of 
the chimney. 

It would appear that at that time there was a 
witch in the neighborhood, possibly old Moll De- 
Grow, whose power for evil was generally recognized, 
and the recipients of the chowder promptly came to the 
conclusion that the witch was at the bottom of the 
trouble, all but "Poddy". He had a light, and 
hastened home with it, but there sat Phoebe, placidly 
spinning and greatly surprised at his tale of woe, and 
though he tried to get up an argument over the mat- 



THE RIVER ROAD. 29 

ter it lacked success, being much too one-sided, and 
it was many years before he was allowed to verify his 
suspicions. In the meantime fish dinners at the Point 
House went out of fashion, the new method of serving 
chowder not being looked on with favor. 

THE POINT HOUSE WORKS FOR A LIVING. 

For several years the Duncans carried on the 
printing and dyeing of silk handkerchiefs in the Point 
House, probably the first enterprise of this sort estab- 
lished in the vicinity of Newark. They secured the 
raw silk in New York and, after converting it into the 
finished article, one of the brothers would make up a 
bundle of handkerchiefs and trudge to New York with 
it. On leaving this place the Duncans established 
the woolen mills in Franklin, N. J., which have since 
been known as the Essex Works. 

Apparently the next use to which the point was 
put was for the transshipping of freight, for we are 
told that rather more than fifty years ago this was a 
landing where vessels unloaded coal and other com- 
modities which those from the back country, even so 
far as Bloomfield, were wont to cart home by way of 
the Division road and Murphy's lane. 

About 1855 our old Point House, which some say 
was built 150 years ago, was owned by George Jack- 
son, who manufactured fireworks here, while his 
brother Charles followed the same trade in a small 
building just north. He is said to have paid $400 for 
the property. About once in so often the fireworks 
factory would explode, and it made such a nuisance of 



30 WOODSIDE. 

itself because of these irregular excursions heaven- 
ward that Mr. Gould, who lived just across the way, 
purchased the property in order to quiet his nerves. 

From fireworks to firewater sounds like an easy 
transition, and so we come to the Holt regime. The 
Holts and a brother of Mrs. Holt, Ed. Moorehouse, 
lived in the King house (which we have passed with- 
out knowing it, and to which we shall go back shortly) 
and some time before 1865 removed to the Point 
House, and here again was trouble for the neighbors, 
for while this was not a regular tavern, it would ap- 
pear that a certain black bottle was part of its furni- 
ture, and that that black bottle was a magnet which 
no servant girl of the time and region could resist. 
Now a drunken cook is not generally regarded as any 
great addition to the family menage, as I am informed. 
It was no small undertaking to find a cook who would 
go so far into the country as this region then was, and 
when found, to have her almost immediately go astray 
via the Point House, was considered highly provoking. 

The Holts made their own root beer, and there is 
a story to the effect that while a party of well known 
Newarkers was in the place one day a keg of this 
same beer, which stood on the bar, exploded and 
deluged the visitors with a combination of liquid sas- 
safras and wintergreen that was shocking to see and 
worse to bear, and it is recorded that those inundated 
failed to discover a funny side to the experience. 

THE FLOATING PALACE. 

The "Floating Palace", kept by Ed. Holt, ap- 



THE RIVER ROAD. 31 

pears to have been a laudable effort on his part to 
benefit his friends and neighbors by catering to those 
who frequented the river. This was a boat anchored 
in the middle of the stream, which was reached by 
customers in small boats. It appears to be commonly 
thought that Ed. had a government license, but no 
local permit to retail liquor, and the boat was sup- 
posed to overcome the difficulty by straddling the 
county line. But one who knew Ed. well and knew 
the kind of a place he kept tells me that he sold noth- 
ing stronger than beer, and endeavored in every way 
to keep the boat of such a character that respectable 
parties could stop for refreshment, and that he was 
ably seconded in this by his Scotch-Irish wife, whose 
influence was all for good. Under more favorable cir- 
cumstances Ed. Holt might have developed into a 
leading citizen. He was a man of character and of 
very temperate habits himself; a carpenter by trade, 
he always refused to employ men who were habitual 
drinkers. 

For a short time there was a second floating palace 
anchored in Dead Man's bend, nearly opposite the 
lower end of Green Island, which was thoroughly dis- 
reputable, and it is probable that the reputation of this 
was unjustly extended to Holt's place, for many peo- 
ple are to-day of the opinion that the latter was not as 
clean as it might have been. The Floating Palace 
burned to the water's edge while Ed. Holt was still 
proprietor, and the experiment was not tried again. 

The Point House was long known to oarsmen as 



32 WOODSIDE. 

the training ground of some of the famed scullers of 
the world. Captain Chris. Van Emburgh, mariner, 
was one of the noted characters who frequented the 
place; he was an old Passaic river skipper and came 
originally from its eastern bank. 

Quite within the memory of those who are now 
beginning to be numbered with the older inhabitants, 
the place was one of the picturesque features of the 
river. Here were benches placed beneath the graceful 
willows which adorned the banks of the point; it 
was a good vantage ground from which to view the 
boat races when the local Tritons were trying their 
powers of endurance against outside barbarians. 
There were boats to let here, as full many a lover 
knew. But as the river became more and more foul 
such diversions ceased, and to-day the Point House 
stands shorn of all its old time attractions. 

OLD BLACK TOM. 

Old Black Tom was a well known, and many times 
damned, neighbor of the Point House. This was a 
large rock which lay almost in the middle of the chan- 
nel, which at this point came close in to the western 
shore; at low water it was just covered, and one of 
the amusements of the boys was to step on the rock 
from a boat, when the person so doing had the ap- 
pearance of walking on the water. But what was not 
so amusing, at least to the river men, was for a boat 
to run on the rock when the tide was falling. The 
canal boats which carried bricks or coal above fre- 
quently fell victims and, as every one knows how ear- 



THE RIVER ROAD. 33 

nestly a rusty canaler talks when excited, there is no 
need to attempt a reproduction here. 

It seemed natural to step from Green Island to the 
Point House and now, having disposed of the latter, 
we shall go back as far as the Gully road. 

THE KING PROPERTY. 

Just at the bend of the road on the north side stood, 
within the memory of man, a pump which was long a 
popular warm weather resort. This was on the old 
King property. Just when the first King came here, 
or where from, has not been ascertained ; all we know 
is that a Jasper King was living at the junction of the 
Gully and River roads, an old man, at the time of the 
Revolution, and that his son, whose name is not now 
recalled, was a soldier under General Anthony Wayne 
and was killed in action. He is said to have been one 
of those who crossed the Delaware with Washington. 

This son left one child, a son named Jasper, bom 
July 18, 1775, who was brought up by his grandfather. 
Because of the confusion of tongues due to the simi- 
larity of name, the younger Jasper was nicknamed 
*'Poddy", this being a sort of explanatory title which 
is supposed to have described his midship section. 

This grandson enlisted for the War of 181 2 and 
was stationed at Sandy Hook, he never saw active 
service in the field, but served his time out and was 
honorably discharged. He married Phoebe Budd, 
January 6, 1795, and about 1817 built the house which 
formerly stood in the bend of the road. Mrs. Henry 



34 WOODSIDE. 

Davis, a granddaughter of this Jasper, recalls having 
heard her mother relate how, when Jasper was a very 
young child, he was taken by his mother to see the 
husband and father off to the war, and how the mother 
lifted him up so that the father, who was on horse- 
back, could kiss the child good-bye. The father was 
killed in action and the child never saw him again. 

The poorly shod condition of the soldiers at this 
time led to the throwing of their caps in the snow to 
stand in while waiting for the order to march. (This 
same tradition has also been handed down in the 
Phillips family, as noted elsewhere). 

A story current in the King family indicates that 
a detachment of British or Hessian troops was camped 
at one time near the King house. For it is told how 
the young child Jasper was induced by these soldiers 
to bring them apples and potatoes from his grand- 
father's cellar. He was too young to appreciate what 
he was doing, but the grandfather soon caught him at 
it, and put a stop to it. This story would indicate that 
the invaders were not always such merciless maraud- 
ers as is generally supposed. The orchard from which 
these apples came was situated on the Gibbs' hill and 
was noted for the fine quality of its fruit. 

The last Jasper, who died October i, 1854, had two 
sons, William and John, and eight daughters. John 
was a ship-builder, his yard being located in North 
Belleville. William was a brass molder and later had 
a sash and blind factory in Newark; he was noted as 



THE RIVER ROAD. 35 

a temperance lecturer and traveled the country over 
in the cause. 

A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT. 

One of the incidents of the Revolutionary period 
had somewhat to do with the King house. A son of 
Joseph Hedden, Jr., "the martyr patriot" of Newark, 
escaped from his father's house while the British 
soldiers were dragging the senior out of his bed and 
into the street. The boy, though but half clad, jumped 
from a window and ran to the Passaic river at Lom- 
bardy street and up the river on the ice and snow to 
the Gully road. 

He stopped at the older King house for infor- 
mation and such scant clothing as they could afford 
to share with him and, believing that the soldiers were 
after him left by the Gully road for the Long Hill or 
Bloomfield road, where he found refuge in the house 
of a friend named Morris and was furnished with 
stimulants, food and clothing, and had his frozen feet 
treated. 

The King house was later included in the Gibbs 
purchase and was occupied by the gardener employed 
by Mr. Gibbs, and while so used it was destroyed 
by fire. Mrs. Gibbs remembers the building as a typi- 
cal old frame farm house snuggled down under the 
shelter of the hill, embowered in roses and so 
picturesquely situated as to make her long for the 
simple life. 

BURIED TREASURE. 

There have been many stories in the past of Cap- 



36 WOODSIDE. 

tain Kidd and his buried treasure, and there has been 
much digging in the fields hereabout by those who 
would acquire riches without due process of labor, 
but the only find that I have heard of occurred where 
the Gully road joins the River road. 

The building of the Erie Railroad necessitated a 
change where the Gully becomes the River road, and 
a strip some eighty feet wide was lopped off the 
Gibbs property. When the fence was moved back 
certain articles of silver were dug up by the work- 
men in the slender triangle which now lies between 
the drive and the railroad. The matter was kept 
quiet, presumably through fear that the stuff would 
be claimed, and the pieces disappeared before any one 
could inspect them. 

Where this occurred would have been just in 
front of the older King house and it is possible that 
these articles were family treasures buried during 
the Revolution in fear of a British raid. 

WHEN BRITON MET BRITON. 

A story has come down from the elders to the ef- 
fect that at some point in the game of war two de- 
tachments of British troops were foraging in this re- 
gion apparently each "unbeknownst" to the other, for 
the legend has it that while one was on the River road 
nearly opposite Jasper King's, the other, which was 
on higher ground, mistook them for the enemy and 
fired a volley among them, whereupon the hirelings 
rushed for the cover of the river bank, which was 
much higher then than now, and in their excitement 



THE RIVER ROAD. 37 

threw their guns into the river. Some of these guns 
were recovered after the war by fishermen. 

THORNHILL. 

What has been known to most of those now living 
as the Gibbs house is an imposing brown stone edifice 
which was built by Governor Pennington for his 
daughter Mary when she became the wife of Hugh 
Toler. In due time the place was sold to Mr. Alfred 
H. Gibbs, and has since been known as Thornhill. It 
was a sightly place with the river at its feet. 

THE TERHUNE PLACE. 

The next place north was that known of late as 
the Terhune place, which stands just above the River- 
side station. The original dweller on or near this site 
is said to have been a Maverick, but nothing more 
than this is known. Then came one Matthew Banks 
who, according to story, was so lazy that he hoed his 
com on horseback. Mr. Banks was quite as much 
fisherman as farmer, and spent much of his time on 
the river, and they do say that the old fellow would 
turn a penny now and then by selling herring for shad 
to the unsophisticated. Older residents tell me that 
there was formerly a hill of some altitude between 
this place and the river which cut out any view of the 
water from the house, and to which children were 
taken on Fourth of July nights as a vantage point 
from which to view the fireworks. Mr. Banks came 
here about 1820 and was possibly the last slave owner 
in this neighborhood. He is said to have purchased 



38 WOODSIDE. 

a negro from John Hawthorn, the quarryman, and, 
when he sold the place, among the chattels he wished 
to dispose of was a colored boy aged 14 years, "used 
to farm work". 

After Matthew Banks a Mr. Small, who was the 
head printer in the Daily Advertiser office, took up his 
residence here, and following him, if I have the history 
right, came Mr, Terhune, who built the present house. 
Here also lived Mr. Horace Carter while his own 
dwelling was building on the Gully road, and thus we 
come to modern times. 

SANDFORD. 

"Second day of July in the year of our Lord one 
"thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, Abraham 
"Sandford, Jr., of New Barbadoes Bergen County, 
"bought from Thomas Eagles and wife Mary a certain 
"parcel of land. Beginning at the road that leads from 
"Newark to Second river at the east corner of the land 
"of Abraham Stivers", etc. So runs the old deed which 
announces the advent of the Sandford family on this 
side of the river. 

Captain William Sandford, the original settler of 
the name in this country, came from the Barbadoes 
Islands in 1668 as the representative of Nathaniel 
Kingsland "of the same Island of Barbadoes, Esq." 
He purchased "all that Neck of Land lying and being 
between Pisaick and Hackingsack Rivers". The lower 
seven miles of this tract beginning at Newark bay and 
extending to the copper mine, and "Commonly then 
known by the name of New Barbadoes" fell in due 



THE RIVER ROAD. 39 

course to Captain Sandford. The Captain was a noted 
man in his day. In 1682 he was commissioned Attor- 
ney of the Province, in 1699 he was appointed by 
Governor Carteret one of his two deputy governors 
during the absence of the Governor in England; he 
was for years in the Governor's Council and promi- 
nent in affairs of church and state. 

The Abraham Sandford, Jr., who was the first of 
the name to settle on the west bank of the Passaic, 
was a great-great-grandson of William Sandford. He 
built the house (1794-5) which still stands, but in a 
greatly remodeled condition, just below and opposite 
the Point House, and which is to-day occupied by his 
grandchildren. As the family grew and multiplied 
this particular branch was known as the "Pine Tree 
Sandfords", owing to the fact that a magnificent tree 
of the species long flourished near the dwelling. 

The tract originally purchased by Abraham Sand- 
ford, Jr., comprised about thirty acres, extending to 
the Back road. In 1801 he added to his possessions 
by purchasing the river front from Simeon Stivers, 
and in 181 7 bought an adjoining half acre from Stew- 
art Elder. Abraham, Jr., had three children: Susan, 
Maria and Abraham A. The son married Charity Yan- 
sen, whose father was a soldier of the Revolution; 
they resided on the homestead; their children were 
Elizabeth M., Emma L., Mary O. and Frank. The 
first and last of these still live in the old house. 

POLLY VAN WINKLE. 

Polly Van Winkle was one of the picturesque 



40 WOODSIDE. 

figures of the River road some two or three genera- 
tions ago. The neighbors appear to have stood in 
some fear of her lest she take offense and vent her 
displeasure by setting fire to their property; thus she 
came and went much as it pleased her. She appears 
to have had no home of her own, but carried all her 
worldly goods in a pack on her back, and when she 
appeared at some door it was to walk in and make 
herself at home, declining to go no matter how broad 
the hints that were dropped. She never wished a bed, 
always preferring to sleep on the floor close to her 
bundle, which was never allowed to leave her sight. 

MUNN. 

Next as we progress northward is the Munn house. 

The Munns came to America from England or 
Wales, and were among the early Newark settlers 
from New England. Captain Benjamin Munn of 
Hartford, Conn., served in the Pequot Indian War of 
1637. He removed to Springfield, 1649; was probably 
killed by the Indians, 1675. His two sons, John and 
James, were in the Indian fight at Turners Falls, 1676. 
John settled in Westfield, died 1684, leaving a widow 
and two sons, John and Benjamin. The widow mar- 
ried, 1686, John Richards, the schoolmaster of West- 
field, and removed with him and her two boys to 
Deerfield, where his house was burned in the destruc- 
tion of the town by the French and Indians in 1704. 
A few years afterward he removed to Newark, N. J., 
where he was the schoolmaster in 17 18. His stepson, 
John Munn, married Mary, sister of John Richards 



THE RIVER ROAD. 41 

and widow of John Ward, about 1720, and had Joseph, 
Samuel and Benjamin. Benjamin was born 1730 and 
died 1 8 18 — ^lived all his life on his farm, now the town 
of East Orange. Two of his sons, David and Amos, 
served in the Revolutionary War. After the war 
Amos married a daughter of Silas Dod and settled in 
Bloomfield — died in 1808, leaving Silas and other chil- 
dren. Silas continued his business till 1825, when he 
removed with his wife and two boys, William Alonzo 
and Bethuel, to the old Col. Van Cortland place on 
the Passaic, just below the mouth of Second river. 
Here he resided five years — 1825-1830 — during which 
time his son Henry Benson and daughter Emeline 
were born. He then moved to Belleville, where he 
lost his daughter Emeline, and where his son Silas, Jr.. 
was bom. 

In 1850 he purchased the Van Emburgh place, con- 
sisting of four or five acres, opposite the old Point 
House. 

This tract was conveyed on June 7, 1790, by Gas- 
pars Van Winkle and wife and Aurentee Due, heirs 
of Gideon and Mary Smith, to Abraham Van Em- 
burgh. Most of the property remained in the Van 
Emburgh family until sold to Silas Munn, March 16, 
1850. At this time there were two small dwellings 
on the land, one was moved back and converted into 
a bam, the other was moved, remodeled and added to 
in 1893 and is still standing. Here Silas died in 1873. 

The children of Silas were William Alonzo, Beth- 
uel, Silas, Henry Benson and Emeline. William 



42 WOOD SIDE. 

Alonzo married a sister of John Boyd of Woodside, 
and removed to New York ; his second wife was Han- 
nah Wilson, with whom he removed to Milwaukee, 
where he died in 1876. Bethuel married Sarah, an- 
other sister of John Boyd, and after the death of his 
mother, in 1866, occupied the house on the River road 
until his decease in 1899. Henry Benson studied law, 
moved to Madison and Portage City, Wis., of which 
latter place he was elected mayor, and from which he 
was sent to the Legislature. He finally removed to 
Washington, D. C, where he still resides; he has 
owned the homestead for many years. Silas, Jr., fol- 
lowed civil engineering, went west and finally set- 
tled on a farm near Grant City, Mo., where he now 
resides. 

THE MELIUS HOUSE. 

Next in order stands the Esley Melius house. Old 
deeds in the possession of Mr. Theo. Melius tell us that 
on December 11, 1799, Abraham Van Emburgh and 
Rhoda, his wife, sold to John P. Sandford for the sum 
of $3.84, at a place called Belleville, a part of a water 
lot, which the said Abraham Van Emburgh purchased 
from Elisha Boudinot, Esqr., by a deed bearing date 
November 12, 1799; this adjoined the lot "now con- 
veyed" to Charles Hedenburgh. 

March 20, 1866, John I. Sandford and Rhoda, his 
wife ; Asa Torry and Mary, his wife ; Catherine Udall 
and Sarah Hopson quitclaimed the above water lot 
to Rachael Sandford, this being part of the real estate 
of the late John P. Sandford. 



THE RIVER ROAD. 43 

March 20, i860, Rachael Sandford deeded the 
above water lot to Ezra Gould for the sum of $500. 

These transfers show the ownership of the water- 
front of the Melius place since 1799, and possibly some 
time before that date. 

The north part of the present Melius house was 
erected by John Stimis, probably at the same time 
that he erected his own house, just above, 1805. Amos 
Munn, son of Benjamin, of East Orange, and father 
of Silas Munn, ancestor of the River road branch, 
bom 1763, died 1808, was at the time of his death 
building a dwelling on the lot now occupied by the 
Foster Home ; his executors exchanged the unfinished 
building for a two-acre lot, which is now part of the 
Melius homestead. In 181 1 the executors sold the 
lot to Jean Baptiste Bacque. Later there dwelt here 
one Hedenburgh, if I am correctly informed; then a 
Vincent whose daughter, Dorcas, married Gilbert 
Pullinger — the Pullinger reign lasted from 1830 to 
1836. Mrs. Pullinger appears to have been a character 
with more loves than come to most of us. After her 
came the Duncans, a Zeiss, William Patterson, Ezra 
Gould and Esley Melius. 

By a deed dated October i, 1853, John R. Sked 
and Sarah C, his wife, sold the property, which was 
in shape like the letter L, and which inclosed on two 
sides the property of Charles Daugherty, to Ezra 
Gould, subject to several mortgages held by William 
Patterson and others. And on May i, 1857, Charles 
Daugherty and Rachael, his wife, sold to Ezra Gould 



44 WOODSIDE. 

a lot purchased in 1849 from William Patterson, which 
squared the Gould property. 

April 12, 1866, Peter M. Myers and wife sold the 
Ezra Gould property to Sarah A. Melius, wife of Es- 
ley Melius, and the property has since remained in 
the Melius family. 

Mrs. Melius was a daughter of Samuel Rust, the 
inventor of the Washington press, which was the 
foundation on which the great firm of R. Hoe & Co. 
was builded. The daughter received the best educa- 
tion that the times afforded girls, being placed first at 
a leading school in Poughkeepsie, then at the West 
Point Academy on Lake Champlain, and was given a 
finishing polish at Mrs. Jackson's school on Broadway, 
New York, which was located just above Prince street 
on the site later occupied by the Metropolitan Hotel. 
She was a woman of strong convictions and was in 
her day a magazine writer of some note. 

There is a story current that Mrs. Melius once held 
the Erie Railroad up at the point of her parasol by 
standing in the middle of the track and shaking that 
weapon at the approaching engine, which naturally 
stopped all a-tremble, whereupon the lady climbed on 
board a car and enjoyed a ride to New York. Just how 
much of this is fact and how much is fancy is not al- 
together clear at this distance. 

STIMIS FAMILY TRADITIONS. 

The next house that can claim the dignity of age 
is that built about 1805 by Mr. John Stimis, son of 



THE RIVER ROAD. 45 

Christopher, and occupied during our early days by 
Col. Gilbert W. Cumming, and at present by the An- 
dersons. 

Christopher Stimis was the first of the name to 
settle in this neighborhood. He came some time be- 
fore the Revolution, from a place then known as 
Weasel which, according to the Erskin Map No. 82 
(made for the use of General Washington during the 
Revolution), was situated along the Passaic river, 
west side, some 3-4 miles north of the "Achquackhe- 
nonk" bridge (the present town of Passaic). 

Christopher married a daughter of the house of 
Coeyman and built his home, on land that had come 
to his wife from her father's estate, a few hundred feet 
north of the present Melius house. When the Revo- 
lutionary war came Christopher enlisted, and while 
in the army took a heavy cold and died of hasty con- 
sumption. 

Christopher had two sons, John (i) and Henry (i). 

John (i) had five sons: John, Peter, Christopher, 
Henry and William (the latter is the only one of this 
generation now living). 

Henry (i), who lived in the old homestead just 
south of John, had four sons : John, Abraham, James 
and Thomas. 

The above information comes from Mr. William 
Stimis, now 87 years of age, a grandson of Christo- 
pher. His memory is clear and he is quite certain of 
his facts. 

While the first Stimis did not keep a tavern in 



46 WOODSIDE. 

the ordinary sense, he did know how to brew beer, 
and for many years the house was a stopping place 
for thirsty souls. Even as late as the Revolution the 
brewing of beer was continued, for I am informed 
that the place was frequented both by Hessians from 
across the river and by such Continental soldiers as 
happened in the neighborhood. 

HESSIANS BURY LOOT. 

There is a story which has been handed down in 
the Stimis family to the effect that some Hessians, 
while on this side, were hard pressed by a superior 
force of Americans, and in their haste to get away 
were compelled to bury certain treasure or loot of 
some sort in the field back of the Stimis house, toward 
Washington avenue. This treasure has been dug for 
within my own recollection, but so far as known was 
never found. The Hessians also left behind in the 
Stimis house some muskets and a camp kettle which 
are still in the possession of members of the family. 

OLD TWO BOTTLES. 

One of the characters of the River road some fifty 
or more years ago was "General" James or "Old Two 
Bottles", as he was more familiarly known. General 
James was a shoemaker who lived under the bank, 
two hundred feet or so below the limekiln; in fact 
at about the spot known to my youth as "the Cedars", 
where we boys learned to swim and had our clothes 
tied in knots to a chant which, as I remember it, went 
something like this: — 



THE RIVER ROAD. 47 

"Chaw roast beef, 
The beef was tough; 
Poor little nigger, 
He couldn't get enough." 

By wetting the article of clothing and pulling hard 
two boys could draw tight a knot which took both 
hands and all the teeth the owner of the aforemen- 
tioned article had to work loose. 

The General lived near the water's edge in a little 
hut of stone and wood. The old shanty leaked so that 
when the rain fell he and his wife sought refuge under 
the family umbrella, so the story goes. 

Near his house was a spring of good water, but 
what interested the youth of the neighborhood more 
was the legend of a cave close by where Captain Kidd 
is said to have stowed treasure. This was supposed 
to be at a spot where were more stones than nature 
would seem properly to have gathered together, and 
this the boys would now and then pry into, but so far 
as known nothing came of it but an occasional back- 
ache. 

Presumably his close contact with the river bred 
a contempt for water that became more and more 
pronounced as the old fellow advanced in years, 
when to the few who can now recall him he was a well 
known character. Possibly he once drank some water 
which did not agree with him — possibly he supposed 
it was only intended for the floating of boats (none 
has as yet made this point clear), but, whatever the 
cause, our friend was very particular not to tamper 
with his constitution by drinking any more of the 



48 WOODSIDE. 

Stuff. Hence the jug which was his constant com- 
panion when visiting Newark. 

The General had a private path, just above the 
reach of high tide, which came out on the main road 
near the Point House, and every Saturday afternoon 
wife Rachael and he would journey southward. They 
always walked single file, the old lady some fifty to 
one hundred feet in the rear — presumably this was to 
insure the safety of the jug, a rear guard, as it were, 
to protect the supplies, a precautionary measure which 
would naturally occur to a military man. 

Possibly our "General" was a veteran of the war 
with nature: that certainly is a satisfactory way to 
account for his title. Just how he came by the sec- 
ondary title of "Old Two Bottles" is not quite clear, 
but it is said that it was the result of high words in 
the family. Mrs. General, it seems, longed for some- 
thing more substantial thjm the rear to guard, and ap- 
pears to have made an unwelcome suggestion that two 
bottles would be better than one jug and, being some 
distance behind the conversation was carried on 
in an elevated tone of voice, and as the General's rate 
of locomotion was about a mile an hour the neighbors 
came easily by the story. 

The General and his wife occupy unmarked graves 
in the neglected burial grovmd above the Weiler house. 

THE ALEXANDER PLACE. 

The next house of which there is any memory was 
a brick structure at the southwest corner of the River 



THE RIVER ROAD. 49 

and Division roads. This was the property of, and 
presumably built by, "Jim" Alexander (James G. 
Alexander?), who came from Newark and passed the 
place many times as he drove the stage from Newark 
to Belleville. Alexander was a North of Ireland man 
who came to Belleville after a brief sojourn in Pater- 
son. For a time he drove a stage between Belleville 
and New York, and also between Belleville and New- 
ark. He married a Coeyman and thus came into 
possession of a farm which extended from Grafton 
avenue south to the Henry Stimis place, and from the 
river back to Summer avenue. He is said to have run 
the limekiln at one time. 

Alexander's house burned and he removed to 
Belleville, where he became somewhat eccentric, 
parading the streets barefoot and with a silk hat on 
his head, in which costume he would preach when- 
ever the curious were willing to form a congregation. 
There are stories current which indicate that he had a 
ready wit and a tongue sharper than a two-edged 

sword. 

THE LIME KILN. 

We have come to the Division road, now Grafton 
avenue, so far as this end of it is concerned. Opposite, 
on the river bank, stood for many years the limekiln 
erected by three Englishmen: Thomas Vernon, 
Thomas Farrand and John T. Grice. This performed 
its offices without doing serious damage to the land- 
scape. The last to bum lime here was Mr. Francis 
Tompkins, but the old Newark Lime & Cement Com- 



50 WOODSIDE. 

pany was finally too much for him, and he went under. 
Between the burnings of lime there was little activity 
about the place, and as time went on it became little 
more than a picturesque wreck, and thirty years ago 
or more the old kiln ceased work entirely. Then came 
Mr. Benfield who, as some of his facetious neighbors 
were fond of saying, had a process for extracting gold 
from stone fences. So far as I have any knowledge of 
the matter, the process was all right, but it cost more 
to extract the gold than it would bring in the open 
market, and so in a certain sense the experiment was 
not a success, and it resulted in the erection of im- 
sightly buildings which have been added to from time 
to time by others who would do things here, until 
from being a picturesque ruin the place has grown to 
be one of the ugliest sights on the river bank. 

HOUSES ABOVE GRAFTON AVENUE. 

Above Grafton avenue, on the comer, stood the 
frame house of John McDonald, who married a Coey- 
man (he was a calico printer by trade), and opposite, 
between road and river, stood a small frame house oc- 
cupied by James Coeyman. Above, on the west, was 
the brick house of Levi Coejmian, and next the frame 
house of John DeHush Coeyman, while on the site 
now occupied by the large brick house built by Peter 
Weiler stood the home of Minard Coeyman, the hive 
of the Coeymans. Just above, where the brook 
crossed the road, was the house of Henry Coe3mian, 
and just beyond that of John Coeyman, later occupied 



THE RIVER ROAD. 51 

by William McDonald and by one Worthington. A 
cannon ball and numerous Indian relics have been 
ploughed up on this property. The last three build- 
ings were torn down by Mr. Weiler when he biiilt 
about i860. The only other house below Second 
river was the original Van Cortlandt stone house. 

COEYMAN GENEALOGY. 

Peter Coeymans of Utrecht, in the Netherlands, 
had seven children. His five sons sailed from Hol- 
land in the ship Rensselaerswyck, October i, 1636, 
and settled in Albany, N. Y, The yoimgest of the 
boys was Lucas Pieterse Coejmians. "May 14th, gth 
"year of William 3d of England (1698) Leukes Coe- 
"man of the towne of Newark yeoman", bought of 
Gcrrit Hollaer of the city of New York, land lying on 
the Passaic river, in the "toune" of Newark and 
County of Essex, "where the said Leukes Coeman 
now livith". This deed was acknowledged January 
17, 1699. 

The children of Lucas Peterse Coeymans and Ari- 
entie, his wife, all of whom were bom in Albany, N. 
Y., were: — 

Geertie Koemans, who married Harmanus Bras, 
October 5, 1695, at Hackensack. 

Marytie Koeymans, who married Cornells Tomese, 
August 8, 1696, at Hackensack. 

Johannes Koeymans, who married Rachel Symcn 
Van Winckle (of Acquackanonk), March 6, 1708, at 
Hackensack. 



52 WOODSIDE. 

Januetie Koemans, who married Gideon Symen 
Van Winkle (of Acquackanonk), March 13, 1708. 

Very little has been preserved concerning the Coey- 
man family, and probably the only way to trace the 
line from Johannes down to Minard would be by a 
long search of old titles. Minard Coeyman is said 
to have served during the Revolution under Colonel 
Van Cortlandt. 

Minard had sons: Henry M., Peter, William, 
Thomas and John. 

Henry M. had a son, James A., whose son, Albert 
J., now lives in Belleville. 

Peter had sons: Levi and Minard. 

EXTENT OF THE COEYMAN POSSESSIONS. 
There is a legend in the Coejmian family to the 
effect that it at one time owned all the land between 
Second river and the Gully road, and that the land 
purchased by Van Cortlandt was sold to him by a 
Coeyman. That, if correct, would carry the property 
north to Second river. Its southern boundary has 
only been traced as far as the present Melius property. 
Mr. William Stimis tells me that the first Christopher 
Stimis who came here married a Coeyman, who re- 
ceived as her portion of the estate six acres, which in- 
cluded the land occupied by the late Henry Stimis 
and extended to the present Melius property. Mr. 
William Stimis thinks that his grandmother, the wife 
of Christopher, above, was a daughter of Andrew 
Coeyman and a sister of Minard Coe3mian, but he is 



THE RIVER ROAD. 53 

not sure of this. Mr. Daniel F. Tompkins has made 
the statement that the Coeyman property once ex- 
tended from the Gully road to Second river and west- 
ward to include Forest Hill. 

A COEYMAN REMINISCENCE. 

A Coeyman reminiscence tells how, in order to 
save their bedding and household linen from the ra- 
pacity of the soldiers it was placed on the bam floor 
and covered deep with hay, and how the soldiers came 
along and began to use up the hay and the pile went 
down and down and down, until there were only four 
feet between the invaders and discovery, but at this 
point the troops left the locality and the bedding re- 
mained in the family. 

The army lay on the Coeyman farm long enough 
to cut down every forest tree that stood thereon, and 
all the fine old trees that we knew thirty years ago 
are said to have come into being since then. The 
same story is told of General Wa3me's troops, who 
camped along the Back road, and probably the above 
refers to this same time. 

WASHINGTON MARCHES DOWN THE RIVER ROAD. 

November 21, 1776, General Washington and the 
troops from Fort Lee left Hackensack by the Pollifly 
road, crossed over to the old Paramus road and 
reached the bridge at Acquackanonk (now the town 
of Passaic) about noon. Crossing there the bridge was 
destroyed to delay the pursuing British under Com- 



54 WOODSIDE. 

wallis. On the 2 2d Washington and 3,500 or more 
troops left Acquackanonk for Newark. The forces 
were divided, some going over the hill to Bloomfield, 
the others keeping down the River road and thus en- 
tering Newark. 

This was one of the most bitter periods of the 
Revolutionary struggle; everything was apparently 
going ag£dnst the American cause, and it was a be- 
draggled and disheartened company that marched 
down our River road on that 22d day of November. 
Thomas Paine participated in this retreat across 
New Jersey, and it was this that inspired his "Crisis", 
which begins: "These are the times that try men's 
souls", and it was at Newark on November 23d that 
Washington wrote: "The situation of our affairs is 
"truly critical, and such as requires uncommon exer- 
"tion on our part." The way in which Washington 
handled this, as other desperate situations, has placed 
him in the front rank of conamanders the world over. 
His "Fabian" policy of masterly inaction in front of 
forces vastly superior to his own, combined with his 
ability to recognize and take advantage of the op- 
portunity when it arrived, was marvelous. 

Comwallis did not attempt to cross the river un- 
til November 26th. Apparently he had no wish to 
capture the American troops, as he spent something 
like a week in the Passaic Valley, foraging on the 
country as he went, and progressing in a most leis- 
urely manner. 



THE RIVER ROAD. 55 

STEPHEN VAN CORTLANDT AT SECOND RIVER. 

Stephen Van Cortlandt, twelfth child of Col. Ste- 
phanus Van Cortlandt by his wife, Gertrude Schuyler, 
was bom ii, August, 1695; married 28, August, 1713, 
Catalina Staats, daughter of Dr. Samuel Staats by his 
first wife, Johanna Rynders. He resided at "Second 
River" (now Belleville), Essex County, N. J. Issue: 

1. Johanna Van Cortlandt, bom 3, February, 1714; 
died without issue. 

2. Gertrude Van Cortlandt, born 23, February, 
1715; married Johannes Van Rensselaer. 

3. Stephanus Van Cortlandt, born 19, September, 
1716; died without issue. 

4. Samuel Van Cortlandt, born 22, December, 
1 717; died without issue. 

5. John Van Cortlandt, bom 16, February, 1721; 
died 29, June, 1786. Married Hester Bayard. 

6. Philip Van Cortlandt, born in 1725; died 1800 
without issue. He commanded a New Jersey Regi- 
ment in the Revolution. 

7. Sarah Van Cortlandt died without issue. 

John (above) had a son Stephen, born 11, August, 
1750, and Stephen had two daughters — Elizabeth, who 
married John Van Rensselaer, and Hester, who mar- 
ried James Van Cortlandt. (The above is from Mrs. 
Catharine T. R. Mathews, nee Van Cortlandt, an au- 
thority on the family genealogy.) 

THE OLD VAN CORTLANDT HOUSE. 

The old Van Cortlandt house, which is described 

below, stood about midway between Second river and 



WOODSIDE. 



Ae Gl L. R. R. trails, facisg die Pimiir, and also 
uie road, fior at tliait tisnc tbe fat^bway kept ^"^T cloaff 
to tbe watjcc's cd^e bo^ owing to the frcqiicsit flood- 
sag of tkiB loiw land and oooseqaent wasfaonts, tiie 
mad ans finally set back to hs pccsent fine. Fifty 
tbis was known as tfac **new* road. 

IS btrilt, ior ff Dc Staats gave tlie 

tfs BcBevile ^****^ to bis dang^iter at tbe tsne of 

Stephen V 3 
a second dvpofinf^ at 

•ed and desired to 

a neir eataUHhavnt. Dmli^ die later years of 

tne OKI nonae b aani to 

tbe 

tniaaawHslrBnUi Old residents told of 

■d one of the Van 

said to bave oecome msane ^Ane 
tbe tragedy was. ^ ir;y, liss sot 
[See note on p. 63.] 

cm THK VAM co?.:-A 1:1. 







THE RIVER ROAD. 57 

by a foul with another on the road, and lost so much 
money in his business that he was obliged to suspend 
and take boarders. Bad luck seemed to follow all its 
subsequent occupants till finally, in 1878, the old house 
was destroyed by fire. 

The house was after the pattern of those built by 
the Dutch farmers at an early day. A broad hall ran 
through the centre, at either end were heavy doors, 
divided horizontally, so that only one-half need be 
opened at a time and thus leave the occupant free to 
talk with a caller without intrusion. A broad garden 
extended from the road to the house, a spacious bam 
was nearby, while orchards of rare apples and pears 
extended on either side and on the opposite side of 
the road was another orchard of fine fruit. The prop- 
erty in 1829 adjoined that of Minard Coe5mian. It 
was then known as the estate of Colonel Van Cort- 
landt. Silas Munn, under date of September 2, 1829. 
writes that he was requested by Minard Coeyman to 
attend with G. Dow and fix the line between his land 
and that of the estate of Van Cortlandt, when it was 
foimd that the estate had inclosed 300 rods of Coey- 
man's land. 

ADVICE TO GIRLS WHO WOULD MARRY. 

The first Mrs. John Van Rensselaer, who has been 
heard by Mrs. Kay to say that she was married in the 
house south of Second river, used to caution the 
young girls of her acquaintance against too long de- 
lay and overmuch prinking, and she was somewhat 
fond of citing herself and her sister as examples. 



S8 WOODSIDE. 

It seems that when John Van Rensselaer came 
down from Albany to spy out the land and its fair 
daughters, he came to the Van Cortlandt house, where 
the two girls were living, and word was brought up- 
stairs to the young ladies that the gentleman was be- 
low awaiting them. Whereupon "Bess" was for go- 
ing down immediately, dressed as she was, but the 
sister, thinking that a few more furbelows would add 
to her charms, remained behind and spent a half hour 
or so before the glass. 

This, of course, gave "Bess" an opportunity with 
the visitor which she improved to such good purpose 
that the matter of the future Mrs. Van Rensselaer 
was practically settled by the time the much beauti- 
fied sister appeared on the scene. The story I have 
from Mrs. Mary E. Tucker who, when a girl, was 
told the incident by Mrs. Van Rensselaer herself. 

JOHN VAN RENSSELAER II. 

About 1830 an Englishman named Duxbury was 
living in the Van Cortlandt house. He had been 
brought over to act as general superintendent of the 
print works. John Van Rensselaer, whose father 
married Elizabeth Van Cortlandt, became very much 
interested in Margaret Duxbury, and they were 
finally married. Thus two John Van Rensselaers in 
succession went to the old house for their brides ; the 
children of John 2d were James, Cortlandt and Cath- 
erine. 



THE RIVER ROAD. 59 

WHAT AN OLD MAP SHOWS. 

On the Erskin map No. 79, known as "From New- 
ark, through Acquackononk to Gothum" this house 
is marked "storehouse", while to the house north of 
Second river (now the Belleville Hotel) is attached 
the name of Stephen Van Cortlandt. 

This same map shows the old Coeyman house to 
have been occupied by Hendrick Coeyman; another 
house just north of this is not named, and these three 
are the only houses noted on this map on the River 
road between Second river and the Gully road, though 
the old Stimis house must have been standing at this 
time, and it is probable that the first King house was 
also then in existence. 

CANNON BALLS FROM THE RIVER. 

Mr. James S. Taylor tells me that in hauling for 
shad on the reef just below Second river, which was 
formerly only two feet under water at low tide, it was 
no uncommon thing to scoop up occasional shells 
from the bottom of a bigness of three to four inches 
in diameter. The Decatur Powder Works were for- 
merly situated just above on the north bank of Sec- 
ond river, and whether these shells were a relic of 
that institution or were some reminiscence of the 
Revolution no one seems to know. 

COEYMAN BURIAL GROUND. 

But few of the stones are left in the old Coeyman 
burial ground, which lies just north of the Weiler 
house. The following is a complete list of those stand- 
ing at the present time : — 



WOODSIDE. 

Anthony Wauters, 

who died April 9, 1800 

Aged 53 years 

also his wife 

Margaret 

who died Oct. 8, i8oa 

Aged 53 years 

and his daughter 

Mary 

who died April 33, 1833 

Aged 66 years. 

O what were all my sufferings here 

If. Lord, thou count me meet: 
With that enraptur'd host to appear 
And worship at thy feet. 



Rachel Wat- 



Departed this life April 
17th, 1833 
Aged 63 years i day 
The Lord taketh pleasure — 

that fear him. In those 

in his mercy. 



Peter L. CoejTnan, 
Died April 6th. 1S69, Aged 76 years, 11 mo. and 4 days 
Come all my friends as you pass by 
As you are now so once was I. 
As I am now so you must be. 
Prepare yourselves to follow me. 



In memory of James. 

son of Minard and Catherine Coeman who 

died August 5th, 1801, aged i year, 10 mos. and 7 days 



THE RIVER ROAD. 61 

Minard Coeyman died November 12, 1833, aged 75 

years and five months. 

Catherine, his wife, died July 13, 1841, aged 76 years, 

10 months and six days. 

Lean not on earth, 'twill 

Pierce thee to the heart. 

Caroline, daughter of James and Catherine Alexander, 

died October ist, 1841, aged i year, 6 mos. and 9 days. 



Levi Holden. 1806 



Sacred to the memory of Thomas Holden, oldest son 
of Levi and Hzmnah Holden, who was born in 
Massachusetts on the 5th day of September, 1779, 
and departed this life 20th day of May, 1820, after 
a very protracted and severe illness. Aged 40 
years, 8 mo. and 15 days. 

His heart is no longer the seat 

Of trouble and torturing pain; 
It ceases to flutter and beat. 

It never shall flutter again. 
The lids that he seldom could close. 

By anguish forbidden to sleep. 
Sealed up in the sweetest repose. 

Have strangely forgotten to weep. 
His soul has now taken its flight 
To mansions of glory above. 
To mingle with angels of light. 

And dwell in the Kingdom of love. 



L. H. In memory of Levi Holden, son of Thomas 
and Anne Holden, who was born in Massachu- 
setts August 19th, 1799. Drowned 19th July, 1806. 



S» WOODSIDE. 

When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, 

Then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

O grave where is thy sting, 

O death where is thy victory. 

John MacDonald 

Bom Jan. 3, 1820, Died May 30, i88z. 

With heavenly weapons I have fought 

The battles of the Lord, 
Finished my course and kept the faith 
And wait the sure reward. 



Frank H. Smith 
Died December 2, 1885, Aged 14 years and 2 days. 

Carrie A. Smith, 
Died November 8th, 1888, Aged xo years and xz mos. 

INDIAN RELICS. 

The New Jersey Historical Society has in its pos- 
session two Indian stone hatchets and a number of 
arrow points which were dug from the river bank 300 
to 500 feet above Grafton avenue by Mr. William 
Jackson. Indian relics have been dug up at numer- 
ous points along the River road. 

A MYSTERY SOLVED. 

About 1837 there was much mystery concerning a 
certain "Button" factory on Second river, near the 
Passaic, which was run by one Thomas Thomas. 
Twice each year a vessel would ascend the Passaic 
and drop anchor opposite Grafton avenue; no one 
ever came ashore from her, and all sorts of rumors 



THE RIVER ROAD. 63 

were spread in regard to her. Some said she was a 
smuggler, others a pirate. After nightfall there were 
mysterious trips from the "Button" factory to the 
schooner, men trundled heavy casks down to the wa- 
ter's edge and these were transferred to the vessel 
which, in due time, sailed away with the awful secret 
buried deep in her hold. 

It seems that Thomas was engaged in manufactur- 
ing[^ money which was sent to Brazil. Mr. William 
Stltnis, who ran the milling machine in the "Button** 
factory states that copper coins of two sizes were 
made. One marked "40" was the size of a silver half 
dollar, and one marked "80" the size of a dollar. Jos. 
Gardner was engaged to engrave the dies. The place 
was raided two or three times on the theory that 
counterfeiting was going on, and Gardner was ar- 
rested at least once. 

ADDITIONAL ON THE VAN CORTLANDT HOME. 
NOTE — The following was received from Mrs. Mathews too 
late to insert it in its proper place (pp. 55-57). Mrs. Mathews 
thinks that the house south of Second river was built by John 
Van Cortlandt (5), son of the Stephen Van Cortlandt who mar- 
ried Catalina Staats. It was his grand-daughter Elizabeth who 
married John Van Rensselaer in the old house. 

NOTE — The inscription below was omitted from its proper 
place in the list of those stones now standing in the Coeyman 
burial ground : — 

In memory of 

Christina, wife of 

Anton King who 

died Dec. 10, 1791, 

In the gist year 

of her age. 



C^mUitif , The iMvae « at pccaeat weed far 
p wp o cju HiMrr^ r^r^et was at oae 
*Tobey'r 

The £o«srtli booa 
tftf ffwrth ■ide ff# If aBftfc » - * ^ 

hooac, erected alwot itsS. TIk 
dw matimr aad three dau^^. 
freer. Pi.'aL=:j4. 



6i5 WOODSIDE. 



BACK ROAD. 

Mrs. Charles Holt, who is 71 years of age, recalls 
the time when the Phillips farmhouse was the only 
house on the lower Back road, between the cemetery 
and Elwood avenue, and when this stretch was known 
as "Phillips's lane". 

As Mr. James S. Taylor remembers it, the only 
houses along the old Back road, as far back perhaps 
as 1850, were, beginning at the south: — 

First, the John C. Bennett house, built in 1852, at 
the S. E. corner of Chester avenue; then, almost op- 
posite, the Miles I'Anson house, which now stands on 
a knoll along the northern border of Chester avenue. 
Next the Phillips homestead, on the west, just below 
Delavan avenue, which has since been moved back to 
Siunmer avenue. Above this there was no house un- 
til the bend, now known as Elwood place, was passed. 
Some distance beyond here stood a small stone house 
on the right occupied by an Irishman. This was prob- 
ably Pat Brady, who in the fifties built just below the 
present Bryant street. Pat had the reputation of 
being a child of fortune. It is remembered that, while 
very poor, he suddenly became well-to-do, and this 
was only accounted for by the fact that he might have 



BACK ROAD. 67 

"found a purse". About opposite the Brady house 
stood the "Magazine" house back in the field. 

Probably the next was the Thomas Coeyman (son 
of William, who comes next) frame house, opposite 
the Elliott street school. Then came the William 
Coeyman house of stone, on the left and just above 
the head of Halleck street. William Stimis states 
that his father, John Stimis, worked on this house, 
which was erected about one hundred years ago. 
About half way between Irving street and Montclair 
avenue stood the house of Peter Coeyman (Peter and 
William were sons of Minard Coeyman of the River 
road). Next was the Alexander house, a long, low, 
story-and-a-half frame on the left just south of Ver- 
ona avenue. Following this was the Jesse Bennett 
house on the S. W. comer of Verona avenue and op- 
posite this on a lane which probably ran to the River 
road stood the Riddle house, formerly the J. F. King 
house. Next the house of Benson, the miller, which 
still stands at the S. E. comer of Summer and Sylvan 
avenues. While still further afield, toward the rising 
sun, stood the house of Jonathan Bird. 

The Back road, in a deed made in i8ia, is called 
the "Drift road", while in 1820 it was "the road lead- 
"ing from Garrit Houghwort's to Captain Stout's mill 
**dam" (present cemetery to Second river). Now this 
highway of other days answers to three different 
names: as Lincoln avenue, Elwood place and Sum- 
mer avenue. Mr. William Phillips has heard that in 
1805 this road was merely a farm lane running not 



«8 WOODSIDE. 

further north than the present Elwood avenue; that 
here it stopped at a farm, the owner of which would 
not allow it to pass through his property, and pre- 
sumably this accounts for the turn at Elwood place, 
it being a laudable effort to get around the obstruc- 
tionist. But, as will appear a bit later, General An- 
thony Wayne marched up this road in 1779, and it 
seems probable that the date, 1805, is too recent. 

THE "STRAWBERRY" LOT. 

When we were boys the Back road began at the 
"Strawberry" lot, a great ball field where the "Wa- 
verlys", the "Newark Amateurs" and others fur- 
nished forth many a holiday. A member of the lat- 
ter was, I have heard, the first in this neighborhood 
to pitch a curved ball which, in those days, was a 
great event. Part of the "Strawberry" lot is still the 
home of the athlete, for here the Riverside Athletic 
Club reigned for many years. 

RIVERSIDE ATHLETIC CLUB. 

Chronologically speaking the history of the Riv- 
erside Athletic Club belongs to the second part of this 
book, but this seems the best place to dwell briefly on 
the subject. 

The club was organized about 1882, with some 
twenty-five members, among the more prominent of 
whom were L. P. Teller, William H. Brown, Paul E. 
Heller, Henry W. Heller, Frank Cadiz, Edmund Pier- 
son and one Linehan. It was known as "the school 
of the bowlers", and turned out more good, success- 



BACK ROAD. 69 

ful bowlers than any other athletic club in Newark; 
in fact it almost immediately took a prominent place 
in athletics generally, its track team was among the 
best, it was successful in football and had a fine repu- 
tation for square, manly sport. 

Starting without money, the members laid out the 
grounds and built the track and tennis courts them- 
selves, but so popular did it become that within two 
years there were something like three hundred mem- 
bers and the club continued to thrive for many years. 
Interest began to wane, however, as time went on, 
and about five years ago the club disbanded. 

Shortly thereafter the Park Presbyterian Church 
purchased the clubhouse, and it was turned over to 
the Park Athletic Association, a church organization, 
and is still so occupied, though I believe the associa- 
tion is at present independent of the church. 

A MILLERITE. 

On the slender point made by the opening of 
Washington avenue stands the house erected by Mr. 
ScharfF, and which was the home of a Millerite in the 
early days of Woodside, one Flavel by name, a baker 
by trade. Whether working over the hot fires of the 
bakery awoke in Mr. Flavel a desire to reach Heaven 
before his time, or whether he was one of those un- 
easy mortals who do not like to stay long in any one 
place, has not been explained, but he was a Millerite, 
that point is established. The neighbors still remem- 
ber how he used to adjourn to the roof, "in his night- 



PAGES 70 AND 71 HAVE BEEN TRANS- 
>ED IN PRINTING. READ THE LATTER 

I THE FORMER AND AUL WILL. BE WELL. 



70 WOODSIDE. 

the same stretch, H. H. Nichols, John C. Bennett, 
Stoutenburg & Co., Romaine and Parker & Keasbey. 

A LESSON IN MANNERS. 

There is a story of one of the old residents here 
who was not given to taking impudence from any- 
one, particularly from those in his employ. He at one 
time had an obstinate Irishman to deal with, and dealt 
with him after the following fashion : — 

It seems that for some piece of impertinence our 
citizen knocked his Irish employee down and jumped 
on him, remarking as he did so : "I'll teach you to be 
a gentleman", to which the under dog as promptly 
responded, "I defy you". Our friend soon had his 
misguided opponent by the ears and was thumping 
his face into the dirt with a right good will ("laddy- 
holing" I believe this particular process is called), 
and with each movement of his arms he repeated over 
and over again his earnest desire to make a gentleman 
of the Irishman, to which the latter continued vehe- 
mently to respond, "I defy you! I defy you!" 
Whether he succeeded in his laudable efforts is not 
recorded, but he can at least be commended for his 
zeal in the matter. 

MR. MILES I'ANSON AND PREVIOUS OWNERS 

OF HIS PROPERTY. 

About 60 years ago a number of Englishmen 
settled in the northern part of Newark. This immi- 
gration was due to two causes: financial depression 
in the mother country and the Chartist agitation, 



BACK ROAD. 71 

gown", as one unsympathetic informant puts it, for 
the purpose of being translated, but there was always 
some hitch, and I believe he finally gave it up and 
ultimately took the route that is open to all of us. 

NAMES OF SOME EARLY OWNERS. 

The "Strawberry" lot belonged to Joseph West, 
whose house stood, according to the map of 1849, 
where Washington avenue now cuts into the brother- 
hood of streets here. The old pump presided over 
by "Mose" in the days of our youth, and from which 
the street car horses were watered, was probably 
the pump attached to the West house. This house 
may have been built by Gerard Haugevort; it was 
occupied by him probably 75 years ago. It was also 
occupied, about 1845, by old "Mammy" PuUinger, who 
started life on the River road, as a groggery and a 
rather low resort. When Washington avenue was 
cut through Mr. Nichols moved the building a few 
hundred feet down the Gully road, where it stands to- 
day. 

Adjoining the West property on the north, and on 
the west side of the Back road was a narrow strip of 
land owned by Jesse Bennett, then came the Miles 
I' Anson property, which extended to that owned by 
John Morris Phillips, who also owned to the bend 
in the road, now Elwood place — ^this on the left. On 
the right the earliest map giving the names of owners, 
and which is probably not older than 1865 shows, for 



72 WOODSIDE. 

1839-1848. Among those who came over at this time 
was Mr. Miles I'Anson, who settled in the Woodside 
district, where he purchased a farm of about 30 acres, 
including the property south of the Phillips home- 
stead, extending about as far as the present May 
street, on the west side of Lincoln avenue. 

It was Mr. I'Anson, it is said, who first suggested 
the name of Woodside for this locality. 

A search of the I'Anson property made by Mr. 
Daniel F. Tompkins for Mr. I'Anson contains many 
inter esting_ items and names, and is here quoted from 
at length. 

By a deed dated December 10, 18 12, Richard L. 
Walker and wife sold the Back road property to Pe- 
ter Maverick. It is described as being located on the 
*'Drift" road, being bounded southeast on the Drift 
road northeast by land now or late of David Phillips, 
northeast (northwest?) and southwest by land now 
or late belonging to Isaac Plume. 

Peter Maverick and his wife Mary on October 5, 
1820, mortgaged to Hannah Spencer the above lot 
and a lot beginning at the southeastern corner of John 
Hawthorne's lot on the western side of the "New 
Road" (probably the Bloomfield turnpike and below 
the Woodside line), leading from Garret Hogwart's to 
Francis King's; thence on the eastern line of said 
John Hawthorn's lot of wood ; thence to the northern 
line of the lot of land belonging to the estate of Isaac 
N. Kipp, dec'd; thence to the western line of said 
♦•New Road". 



BACK ROAD. 73 

January 19, 1833, William Dow, Sheriff, sold to 
Hannah Spencer the above two tracts of land. 

April I, 1833, Hannah Spencer sold both of these 
tracts to James Flintoff and George Flintoff. 

May II, 1839, the administrators of James and 
George Flintoff sold both tracts to William T. 
Haines. 

January 5, 1842, William T. Haines sold the Lin- 
coln avenue lot to David Day. 

January 7, 1842, David Day and wife sold the 
property to Miles I' Anson. 

November 19, 1841, William T. Haines and wife 
sold to William Barnett a part of the tract (as sup- 
posed) above referred to as situated on the western 
side of the "New Road". 

June 9, 1846, William Barnett and wife sold their 
land to Miles I'Anson. 

April 7, 1803, the executors of Isaac Plvmie, de- 
ceased, sold to John Hawthorne land at the northwest 
side of "the Road or Drift Way Leading out of the 
Public Road from Newark to Belleville", thence east 
to Ebenezer Smith's land, thence north to David 
Walker's land, thence west to the road. (This is 
copied as the search gave it.) 

September 14, 1822, Abraham Reynolds, Sheriff, 
sold the same land to James Kearney, Esqr., except in 
the 6th course "sold under Decree in Chancery, dated 
April 2, 1822, wherein Gerard Haugwort (the various 
spellings of this name follow those in the search; the 
correct spelling is probably Haugevort), adminis- 



74 WOODSIDE. 

trator of Hester Sip, dec'd, is complainant, and John 
Hawthorn and Margaret his wife, Aaron Munn and 
Nathaniel Lindsley are defendants. 

September 14, 1822, James Kearney sold to Gerard 
Haughworth the same land last above. 

August 13, 1823, John Hawthorne quitclaimed to 
Philip Kearney for all his interest in the last above 
described land. 

The last will of John Hawthorne, dated August 
18, 1841, and proved April 22, 1844, gives to John P. 
Hawthorne the lot of land contzdning 14 acres, called 
the Hogworth lot. 

April I, 1845, Philip Kearney quitclaimed to John 
Hawthorne for all his interest in the same land last 
above described. 

March 28, 1845, John P. Hawthorne sold to Miles 
I'Anson land beginning at a corner of the said Miles 
I'Anson's land on the west side of the Road leading 
from Newark to the Belleville Paint Works; thence 
south along said road, etc., the lot containing about 
14 acres and bounded south, west and north by land 
owned by Miles I'Anson. 

December 14, 1853, Miles I'Anson sold to Robert 
Smith about an acre and a half, apparently to 
straighten the latter's line. 

THE PHILLIPS FARM. 

Not so very many years ago, those who journeyed 
back and forth to Belleville by way of the old "Back 
road" passed the Phillips farm. 

At the south end of the estate stood a quaint lit- 




THE PHILLIPS FARM HOUSE 

Erected before the Revolution. Picture taken in 1869 shows one of tlie cherrj' trees 
that then lined the sidewalk 



THE OLD 
PHILLIPS WELL 

Said to date back 

to tlie time of 

tlie Indians 




BACK ROAD. 75 

tie dwelling, bearing unmistakable marks of antiquity 
upon its weather beaten boards and crumbling shingle 
roof. This house had been the dwelling place of sev* 
eral generations of the name. 

Colonel Phillips, the founder of the family in 
America, was an ofHcer in the English army under 
Oliver Cromwell, and on the accession of Charles II. 
to the throne of England, in 1660, he with others was 
obliged to fly to America. He first settled in Kil> 
lingworth (now Clinton), Connecticut, and subse- 
quently removed to New Jersey, purchasing nine 
hundred acres of land near Caldwell. One of his 
grandsons, David Phillips, settled in Newark and mar- 
ried Sarah Morris, grandaughter of a Doctor Morris, 
who was also an officer under Cromwell, and who fled 
to America with Colonel Phillips. 

David Phillips had this property from Morris 
Phillips, and he from Samuel Morris. David Phillips 
began his housekeeping in the little house which stands 
on the Lincoln avenue property, "purchasing 16 acres 
of land for which his family received a deed from the 
proprietors of East Jersey in 1696", and here Morris 
Phillips, the father of John Morris Phillips, was bom 
and here he died. This Morris Phillips was one of 
the proprietors of the quarries at Belleville which fur- 
nished the stone used in building Fort Lafayette, Cas- 
tle William on Governor's Island, old St. John's 
Church in New York, which has recently been closed 
by the Trinity corporation, and the old State House 
in Albany. 



76 WOODSIDE. 

The fann house still stands on the property, 
though it has been moved back to Summer avenue in 
the rear of the house erected some years ago by Mr. 
John M. Phillips near the original homestead site. 
The old farm had gradusdly acquired that human in- 
terest which only comes of long tillage and close as- 
sociation with man, its fine orchard of ancient apple 
trees, the wood lot on the eastern slope of the hill 
which lapped over into the Mount Prospect avenue 
region, and which held for the man so many boy 
memories of dog and gun, and the fertile flat lands 
which stretched north along the old road. All these 
combined to entice the man back to his boyhood's 
home, and it is small wonder that Mr. John M. Phil- 
lips, who had a keen sense of the beauties and won- 
ders of nature, acquired the place for his own at the 
first opportunity. Here was an ancient well of deli- 
cious water, which tradition tells us was known to 
and used by the Indians. Up to very recent times this 
stood with its long well-sweep picturesquely adorn- 
ing the landscape. 

A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT. 

In the winter of 1779 General Anthony Wa5me 
marched his troops up the Back road to the fields be- 
tween the present Elwood avenue and Second river, 
where he went into camp. Mr. Frank Crane tells me 
that when a boy it was a common thing to find along 
this hillside, all the way to Second river, hollows in 
the earth which are supposed to have been dug by the 
soldiers for shelter. 



BACK ROAD. 77 

Just about the time the troops reached the Phil- 
lips farm, Mrs. Sarah, wife of David, mentioned 
above, had finished a baking of bread; this she took 
out and gave to the hungry soldiers with pretty much 
ever3^hing else in the house that was eatable. It has 
been handed down in the Phillips family, as else- 
where, that the soldiers when they halted stood with 
their feet in their caps to protect them from the snow 
— those poor naked feet which had been cut and torn 
by the sharp crust of the snow until they marked the 
white highway with a trail of blood. The old grand- 
mother many times told the tale to the family gath- 
ered about the warm hearth of the old farm house on 
wintry nights, and the boy John never forgot it. 

THE PEROU TRACT. 

A rather interesting tangle over the northern end 
of the Phillips tract has taken much patience to im- 
ravel. This concerned a small slice of land now 
largely occupied by Phillips Park and Elwood avenue. 

About 1825 Benajah Perou purchased a certain 
parcel of land from John Morris Keen, of which the 
above was part. Perou was a seafaring man and, in 
the spring of 1828, sailed for New Orleans, and noth- 
ing was afterward heard from him. Being unmarried 
his heirs were his six brothers and sisters, and in 1845 
this property was divided amongst them, each receiv- 
ing a long narrow strip, 66 feet wide, fronting on the 
"road from Newark to Belleville Paint Works", and 
running back into the sunset. 



78 WOODSIDE. 

Daniel Perou received as his share the northern- 
most strip, known as lot No. 6. He was living back in 
the country and, in 1849, died intestate and unmarried; 
thus his 66 foot strip fell to the five remaining broth- 
ers and sisters, or their heirs, none of whom appear to 
have paid any attention to the property. In the mean- 
time said brothers and sisters had been getting mar- 
ried and having children, and these children had in- 
sisted on growing up and doing likewise, until genera- 
tions arose who knew not that they were interested 
in the property. 

Naomi Perou, one of the sisters of Benajah, mar- 
ried Morris Phillips, and in due time became the 
mother of John M. Phillips, who was one of the last 
of the line to be born in the old farm house. And as 
time went on and John M. prospered he began to buy 
up the interests of others in the adjoining property 
imtil he owned all of the Perou tract, or thought he 
did. But by the time an attempt was made to defi- 
nitely fix the title to lot No. 6 there were found to be 
more than three hundred shares into which this lot 
must be divided, each one amounting to something 
less than three inches in width, and extending from 
Lincoln avenue to Mount Prospect. 

The hunt necessitated to clear this title led all over 
the country. One heir was traced as far as New Or- 
leans, and lost; another vanished in the Civil War; 
another moved to Mystic, Conn., and could not be 
traced to his final end, and so it went. One was found 
in Kansas and another in Western New York. 



BACK ROAD. 79 

It cost more to perfect the title than the land was 
worth, and when it was perfected the lot — or all that 
was left of it — was given to the city for a park, a me- 
morial to the late John Morris Phillips. 

THE ANTHONY WAYNE CAMP GROUND. 

It is family tradition among most of those whose 
ancestors resided here during the Revolution that 
Gen. Anthony Wa5me camped along the old Back 
road, but so far as can be ascertained the books are 
silent on the subject. The New York Historical So- 
ciety can find nothing in its archives, and if the New 
Jersey Historical Society has anything bearing on 
this point it does not know it. 

The only mention of the event that I have been 
able to find is an unsigned article which appeared in 
the Daily Advertiser of December 12, 1884, which is 
quoted here entire, as it contains much of interest. 
The Advertiser says: — 

"The attention of an Advertiser reporter was rc- 
"ccntly called to a tradition that Gen. Anthony 
"Wayne with 2,600 men was camped for a consider- 
"able time during the severe winter of 1779 in the 
"vicinity of what is now Elwood avenue, and the old 
"Belleville road in this city. It was rather doubted 
"whether this could be possible, and all accounts of it 
"lost. Such an event would certainly have left an im- 
"prcssion which could not be entirely obliterated even 
"in a hundred years. From information obtained, 
"however, from the late John M. Phillips, whose 



80 WOODSIDE. 

"grandfather was a revolutionary soldier; William A. 
"Wauters, whose grandmother owned the woods in 
"which it is alleged Wayne camped, together with a 
"personal inspection of the ground made by Mr. 
"Daniel F. Tompkins, of Woodside, his son and the 
"writer, the following facts were ascertained: — 

"General Wayne, with a detachment of the Ameri- 
"can Army, after the evacuation of New York, rc- 
"mained for a portion of the winter encamped in the 
"Coe3mian woods, in what is now Woodside. His 
"encampment extended from a point a little west of 
"and in line with the old Belleville road and north of 
"Elwood avenue, along the ridge up to Second river. 
"Traces of this encampment are found in the excava- 
"tions which the soldiers made for their huts. The 
"excavations are found also along the line of the 
"Montclair & Greenwood Lake Railroad at the south 
"side of the bridge across the Second river. They are 
"found also on the side of the hill west of Mount 
"Prospect avenue, and south of the line of Elliott 
"street, and extending north several hundred yards, 
"the most marked being at the northern limit. In 
"one of these excavations the stones which marked 
"the temporary fireplace still remain. The troops cut 
"down the growing timber from these woods, and the 
"owner, Minard Coeyman, was paid for it by the gov- 
"ernment. About half a mile northwest of this ridge 
"the old barn, in which were slaughtered the cattle for 
"the use of the army, still stands. It belongs to the 



BACK ROAD. 81 

"Crane family. Mr. Nathaniel Crane, who was bom 
"in 1808, well remembers hearing his father and uncle 
"talk about the encampment. Wayne had several 
"field pieces with him, and the men used to take the 
"horses down to Second river to water at a point 100 
"yards from the railroad bridge, and near the ruins 
"of the old copper works, opposite Woodside Park. 
"In February Wayne moved his army to Morristown. 
"The close proximity of the British is given as the 
"cause of Wayne breaking camp. In his position at 
"Woodside he was liable to be flanked. Jasper King, 
"father of the late William King, of East Orange, was 
"a boy at the time Wayne was at Woodside, and his 
"father was a soldier in Wayne's army. Jasper went 
"with his grandfather and his mother to say good-by 
"to his father at the encampment in Coeyman's woods. 
"Jasper King related to the late John M. Phillips 
"that when the roll was called the soldiers came out 
"from their tents and some of them threw their caps 
"on the snow and stood on them with their bare feet. 
"He said it began to snow as the troops started on 
"their march to Morristown and some of the soldiers 
"left marks of blood on the snow as they marched. 
"Their way was along the old Bloomfield road, which 
"may have been reached by crossing the fields past 
"the old Crane Mansion, or by the way of Keen's 
"lane, the outlines of which can still be traced south- 
"west to the Bloomfield road. From Bloomfield the 
"march was through Caldwell, where the snow be- 



82 WOODSIDE. 

"came so deep that the artillery was left behind and 
"remained imbedded in the drifts on a by-road near 
"where the penitentiary now stands, until spring. At 
"Bloomfield a picket was posted to guard the rear. 
"One of the men climbed onto the fence to see if the 
"British were pursuing. In the act his gun was dis- 
"charged, killing him instantly. 

"The story of Jasper King is corroborated by the 
"known fact that on February 3, 1779, a snow storm 
"set in, which lasted three days, and the snow was 
"said to be eight feet deep on the Bloomfield road. 
"The inference that Wayne's encampment at Wood- 
"side was in the winter of 1779 is made more proba- 
"ble from the fact that in his attack on Stony Point 
"in July, 1779, he had no artillery. That Wayne was 
"on the coast and near New York in the winter of 
"1779, is made exceedingly probable also by the fol- 
"lowing letter from Lord Stirling, which if he had 
"been at Morristown with Washington would have 
"been directed to the Commander-in-Chief: — 

" 'Ramapogh, Jan. 5, 1779. — Dear Sir: From every 
" 'intelligence I have received I am induced to bc- 
" 'lieve that Count D'Estaing is on this coast ; in con* 
" 'sequence of it I need not explain matters to you. 
" 'Notwithstanding my situation of body, I will be at 
" 'Paramis to-morrow and should be glad to see you 
" 'there as soon as possible, to concert every neces- 
" 'sary measure that may occur to us both. 

" *I am, D sir, your most ob'd sev't. 

" 'Gen. Wayne. STIRLING.' " 



BACK ROAD. 83 

"That Wayne had artillery is evident from the 
"fact that Mr. Tompkins found a grape-shot on the 
"ground of the encampment. He also found a sword, 
"which, evidently, had been worn by a noncommis- 
"sioned officer. 

A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT. 

"During the winter of 1780-81 the British were at 
"Belleville and may have used the same encamp- 
"ment previously occupied by the Americans. It is 
"known that they occupied ground near where the 
"new steel works of Dodge, Blake & Lyon now are. 
"During this time a party of British stopped for the 
"night on Keen's lane, mentioned before on what is 
"now Mr. Henry J. Winser's lot, on Washington 
"avenue, opposite Carteret street. Another party 
"coming from Newark along the Passaic, stumbled 
"on the pickets of the first party and immediately 
"began firing. There was quite a skirmish in the 
"darkness before the true state of affairs was learned. 

PHILLIPS FARM HOUSE. 

"The old house in which the grandfather of the 
"late John M. Phillips lived stood flush with the old 
"Belleville road at the time of which we write, and 
"was visited frequently by the American officers. It 
"now stands in the rear of the new house on Lincoln 
"avenue, and is well preserved. A middle-aged Irish 
"woman came to the door at the knock of Mr. Tomp- 
"kins the other day and seemed inclined to deny an 
"inspection of the premises; but when it was made 



84 WOODSIDE. 

"known to her that the visit was to see the house 
"where the men who whipped the British a hundred 
"years ago had lodged, she accorded a right royal 
"welcome. A mere glance was sufficient to prove 
"that the house was not of modern date. There is no 
"plastering, and the joists that support the upper 
"floors are thick and strong and as substantial as 
"when put in, more than a hundred years ago. 

THE BRITISH ON WOODSIDE SOIL. 

"While the British were encamped on this side of 
"Second river, near the steel works, the grandfather 
"of Mr. Tompkins, who was a scout in the American 
"Army and noted as an athlete, was reconnoitering, 
"with four companions, on the old Belleville road. 
"They accidentally came upon a picket post in the 
"dusk, the officer of which rode up and cried out: 
" 'Who you be for?' Tompkins, to gain time, asked 
"the same question, 'Who you be for?' 'For King 
"George', said the English officer. 'We be for the 
"Continental Congress', shouted Tompkins as he 
"sprang into the woods. There was a fence that 
"stood in the way, and as Tompkins vaulted over it 
"the entire picket guard fired. Two of Tompkins's 
"companions who, instead of jumping the fence had 
"climbed over it, were killed, but the former escaped 
"by the balls passing under him as he jumped. One 
"of the scouts who was killed on that occasion lies 
"buried in the old Bloomfield grave yard. The enemy 
"probably not knowing that they had killed any one, 
"left the bodies where they fell." 



BACK ROAD. 85 

THE MAGAZINE HOUSE. 

The march of improvement, in the opening of Wood- 
side avenue, has recently caused the destruction of 
the "Magazine house", a low stone building which 
stood back of the present Summerfield M. E. Church. 
This dated back to about 1812, when it was built for 
the storing of powder made at the Decatur Powder 
Works, which were located on the site of the present 
De Witt Wire Works, Belleville. There was a spirit 
of mystery and adventure about the place that some- 
how tickled my boyish fancy greatly, and I always 
passed it with a sense of adventure, but the above is all 
that can be said of the spot. When Jacob Rutan was 
building the calico print works on Second river he 
lived here and his wife, Elizabeth, a member of the 
King family, formerly of the River road, boarded the 
men who were doing the mason work. How they all 
slept in this small building is a mystery. 

EARLY LANES. 
Just below the powder house ; in fact, opposite the 
point where Elwood place runs into Summer avenue, 
the John Morris Keen lane led away to the Bloom- 
field road. This, it appears, was part of a lane from 
the River road, the easterly section of which was 
known as the Stimis lane. Whether the latter was 
opened for the purpose or, being established, was 
merely used because convenient, has not been made 
plain, but I am told that formerly a paper mill stood 
on the Bloomfield road, and that the paper was made 



t6 WOODSIDE. 

from reeds gathered on the Hackensack meadows, 
brought up the Passaic river, landed possibly at the 
Point House landing and carted from there via the 
two lanes to the mill. 

THE HAUNT OF THE HIGHWAYMAN. 

The Back road, in the Elliott street neighborhood, 
seventy-five or more years ago, entered a deep gully 
surrounded on all sides by dense woods. It is possi- 
ble that this gave the early name of "Drift" road to 
the highway, as it was a place into which snow could 
easily drift and cause trouble to travelers. This was 
a noted spot for highway robberies, many such hav- 
ing occurred here, and the place was long dreaded by 
those who were compelled to pass this way. 

The only actual hold-up of which I have heard is 
said to have occurred in 1856, when four men who 
came out of the woods from the direction of the 
Magazine house attempted to rob a passing farmer. 
What success they had I do not know, but it appears 
that they were recognized and later arrested. One of 
these, at least, was a Woodside man, but the names 
of the others have been forgotten. 

Tom Coeyman built about sixty years ago at the 
upper edge of this gully. His house stood near the 
junction of Summer and Grafton avenues, and this 
seems to have relieved the gloom of the place, for 
so far as known there were no robberies after the one 
mentioned above. 



BACK ROAD. 87 

NOT A CHRISTMAS CARROLL. 

Probably before our time the Back road was the 
dwelling place of "Owney" Carroll and his good wife 
Peggy. Both were convivial souls, and each a char- 
acter in his or her way, but our most vivid memories 
cling about the old lady. One old resident recalls that 
in his youth the couple lived where now stands the 
Elliott street school, and that one time when he was 
passing with a load of wood Peggy was discovered 
in a somewhat awkward predicament. 

It seems that one or the other — or possibly both — 
had been looking on the wine when it was red, as was 
their custom, and that the husband had concluded 
that his better half would be improved by a bit of fresh 
air and, having thrust her forth, locked the door. 
Now Peggy does not appear to have taken this in good 
part and, finding an open window, she proceeded to 
crawl within; but, when about half-sill over, the sash 
came down on her back and pinned her fast — just as 
our informant was coming down the road with a load 
of wood. 

In the course of years Mrs. Carroll became a sort 
of attache of our back door, and I have a general 
recollection that the old lady's methods did not al- 
ways meet with the entire approval of my mother. She 
certainly thoroughly disagreed with one of Peggy's 
capers. My mother was a great lover of plants, and 
among her treasures was a lemon tree which actually 
bore lemons; these Mrs. Carroll discovered one day 
while cruising about the back yard and, carefully 



BB WOODSIDE. 

gathering the treasured crop, she brought the fruit to 
the back door and tried to sell it to my maternal an- 
cestor. Mrs. Carroll did not call at the house again 
for some time. 

THE WOODS OF THE OLD BACK ROAD. 

Those who sought knowledge at that fount known 
as the Elliott street school, when it was but a coun- 
try schoolhouse, delight to recall how they were al- 
lowed to roam the woods that then bordered the old 
road on the west, for the first flowers of spring, and 
how the schoolmaster would ring the bell from the 
schoolhouse door summoning a return to study, and 
the children would come scampering back with hands 
full of bloom — ^windflowers and hepaticas mostly, 
whose blue and white are so emblematic of the spring- 
time heavens. To those who can hark back so far 
that patch of woods is remembered as a wonderfully 
attractive spot. 

JESSE C. BENNETT. 

Jesse C. Bennett came to this country from Stock- 
port, England, in 1833, to superintend the calico print 
works, which lined the south side of Second river 
from the Back road to the De Witt mill pond, and 
he built a house at what is now the southwest corner 
of Summer and Verona avenues. 

Mr. Bennett was an Episcopalian, and as danc- 
ing was one of the accomplishments of the day and 
not barred by that creed, he engaged a master of the 
art who once in so often gave the small Bennetts 
(there were twelve of them) lessons in an addition 



BACK ROAD. 89 

at the rear of the dwelling which provided a suitable 
room. As time wore on Mr. Bennett became a Second 
Adventist and turned this rear room from a dancing 
hall to a place for prayer. One of the fervent brothers 
of these times was Mr. Harry Harvey, who was given 
to long prayers ; in fact he thought nothing of praying 
for an hour at a stretch. For these exercises the chil- 
dren were brought in and ranged under the long man- 
telpiece on one side of the room, but an hour was a 
long time to be good in those days, and generally one 
or two or three would steal awhile away without be- 
ing noticed. This gradually emboldened the others, 
and one time while the heads of the elders were bowed 
in devotion the entire youthful congregation man- 
aged to get out unnoticed, and there was considerable 
commotion when the fact was discovered and, as I 
understand it, the commotion was not entirely con- 
fined to the elders. 

Later Mr. Bennett became a Methodist and joined 
the church of that denomination in Belleville. 

Mr. Bennett once had a man working about the 
place who was fresh from the Emerald Isle and he, 
venturing out one evening shortly after his arrival, 
came running back a badly scared Irishman, and an- 
nounced that the woods were full of fairies, for he had 
seen their lanterns. It proved to be his first acquaint- 
ance with fireflies. 

THE CALICO PRINT WORKS. 

The calico print works which lined the south bank 
of the Second river from the Back road to the De 



90 WOODSIDE. 

Witt mill pond developed into a large industry tmder 
Messrs. George and Jonathan Bird. This part of the 
river bank has been a mill site for more than one 
hundred years. 

The first on record was the grist mill of Captain 
Bennett. His mill was a small affair which stood on 
the bank where the Back road crossed. Next came a 
Captain Stout, who rebuilt the mill. Both of these 
lived in the dwelling later known as the "Bird" house. 

About 1824 the Stout mill and lands were sold to 
the Eagle Printing Company, which erected a large 
factory for the printing of calicoes along the south 
bank of Second river, extending from the Back road 
to the De Witt mill pond. The concern employed 
several hundred hands and conducted a business of 
great magnitude for those times, but it finally fell on 
evil days and failed about 1855. 

At this time the Back road was so narrow that 
wagons could hardly pass ; indeed, so much of a coun- 
try lane was it that even as late as 1850 the passing 
of a load of calicoes from the mill was an event to 
call the few inhabitants to the windows to see the 
sight. 

After this Andrew Grray and one Wright success- 
fully conducted the business for some time, and 
finally George and Jonathan Bird became the pro- 
prietors. Jonathan Bird lived in the stone house that 
has since been known as the "Bird" house, and here 
dispensed a hospitality that was famed for many a 
mile aroimd. In due course George Bird died, and 




THE "BIRD" HOUSE, SYLVAN AVENUE 



Legend lias it that this was built hy an Englishman who was compelled to leave the 
country when the Revolutionary war broke out 



BACK ROAD. 91 

later Jonathan sold to a stock company, of which 
John Eastwood was a member. This company put in 
some expensive machinery but, owing to internal 
strife, the business was abandoned after a brief exist* 
encc. 

After remaining idle for some time the hat manu- 
facturing concern of Moore & Seeley purchased the 
buildings, but before they did much the factory 
burned, and was never rebuilt. The story given out 
to account for the fire was to the effect that it was 
due to Chinese cheap labor. According to this ver- 
sion the hatters introduced Chinamen and the Irish 
element, which predominated at the time, objected, 
and the fire gave point to their objections, but there 
are some still living who account for the fire in a 
wholly different way. 

A FLESH AND BLOOD GHOST. 

There was a time when the Back road bridge 
across Second river was haunted by a headless ghost 
— at least I am so informed — but it seems that when 
off duty the ghost was known as old Sam Adams's 
daughter, Mary Ann. 

When I was a boy the ruins of the old grist mill 
still stood close to the southeast corner of this bridge. 
It was then known as Benson's mill, a man of that 
name having been the last miller. Some time some 
one was either murdered and thrown into the mill 
race here, or else was accidentally drowned. In either 
case the situation furnished the proper material for 
a mystery, and it would appear that there was talk of 



82 WOODSIDE. 



an apparition having been seen on the bridge shortly 
after the occurrence. 

This was taken advantage of by Mary Ann Adams 
to frighten the boys, and as a result few people cared 
to cross the bridge after dark, as too many had actu- 
ally seen the ghost to leave any doubt of its exist- 
ence. This, of course, was long ago, when Mary Ann 
was young. She died some six years ago, an old 
woman. 

WASHINGTON RESTS AT SECOND RIVER. 

There is a legend that Washington once rested at 
the grist mill, and that here his troopers purchased 
feed for their horses. This was probably during the 
retreat from Fort Lee. 

Somewhat south of the mill stood the miller's 
house; in fact the building is still standing on its 
old foundations, at the southeast corner of Summer 
and Sylvan avenues. Here was bom Col. Henry Ben- 
son, whose accidental death at Malvern Hill during 
the Civil War furnished Belleville with its first mili- 
tary funeral. 




THE OLD BLOOMPIELD ROAD IN 1903 



uokiug north to houses at the corner of Clifton and Berkley Avenues. This part 

of tlie old road is now obliterated. Those who laid out this Iiill top had no 

appreciation of the fact that a crooked road is a line of beauty, both 

this and Murphy's Lane having been suppressed in favor of a 

series of right angles. What would New York above 

59th Street be if the curves of Broadway 

were straightened? 



OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 93 



THE OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 

The old Bloomfield or Long Hill road is fre- 
quently spoken of by the older inhabitants as a for- 
mer Indian trail "from the mountain to the river". 
This may have been one of the many paths which in- 
tersected the great Minisink trail extending from the 
Shrewsbury river to Minisink Island, in the Delaware 
river below Port Jervis, where the council fires of the 
Leni Lenape constantly burned. This particular 
branch probably passed through Great Notch on the 
First mountain, meeting the main path near Little 
Falls. 

The white man's road began where what is now 
Second avenue joins Belleville avenue, and labored 
up the grade to the present Prospect place, where it 
turned toward the north for Bloomfield. The old 
road is less prolific in story and incident than any 
other part of this region. Those interviewed have in- 
variably wished that I might be able to talk with 
some one now gone who was full of ancient lore, but 
as dead men tell no tales I have found myself at a 
disadvantage. 

Not only have the inhabitants gone, but the old 
road itself is largely a memory, for those who are now 



94 WOODSIDE. 

exploiting this region have almost obliterated the 
former highway, finding that its meandering course 
interfered with their straight lines, and not having 
in mind the attraction that a bend in the road, the 
curving line of beauty, with its mystery of a fair, un- 
known country beyond, has for the stroller. 

LORENZO DOW. 

Along this road during the early days of the last 
century passed the eccentric preacher Lorenzo Dow, 
on his way to the little Methodist church beyond Sun- 
fish pond. Dow was an occasional visitor in the 
vicinity and left a memory of peculiar sayings and 
doings that flavored the local gossip for the better 
part of a hundred years. It is said that a toll-gate 
once stood near the canal bridge, which was kept by 
Archibald Jacobus, and those who were boys when I 
went skating on SunRsh pond will recall the ruins of 
an ancient grist mill whose wheel was turned by the 
waters of the pond. Concerning this Mr. Walter S. 
Nichols remembers when a boy making regular jour- 
neys to this mill with a grist of com for the grinding 
— this was in the fifties, after the Searing mill on the 
canal had been abandoned. 

THE OLD ROAD A HIGHWAY. 

Until the toll-gates were removed, some twenty- 
five or more years ago, from the Turnpike or "New" 
road, as the present Bloomfield avenue was called, the 
old road was the avenue for pleasure driving and also 
for much heavy traffic between Newark and Bloom- 



OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 95 

field. This made the highway of prime importance 
and may help to explain the inflated values set on land 
in this region before the panic of '73. 

ADRIAN SCHARFF. 

The Adrian Scharff house, which stood just within 
the Woodside line, was erected some time before 1850. 
It seems that Mr. Scharff brought his old world ideas 
with him to this country and thought he must either 
have a river frontage for his home or a view. He had 
almost decided on the site now occupied by the Mount 
Pleasant Cemetery, but finding that that was not 
available, contented himself with the next best spot 
near the hilltop. 

THE "WHITE-HOUSE" SMITHS. 

Beyond the Scharff house the road ran through 
dense woods for a short half mile to the Robert 
Smith property — ^known as "White-house" Smith to 
distinguish him from "Brick-house" Smith further 
north. The records show that this property was sold 
by Thomas Saffin to Thomas Havens, and by him to 
Ebenezer Smith. When this house was built is not 
known, but probably it was erected by Ebenezer 
Smith, father of Robert. 

Ebenezer Smith, born February 24, 1791, who was 
one of a large family, was the son of Scotch parents 
who immigrated to this country before his birth. 
Ebenezer had two sons, Robert and Ebenezer, Jr., and 
one daughter. Robert fell heir to the "White-house" 
Smith property. Ebenezer, Jr., married a daughter of 



96 WOODSIDE. 

Matthias Baker, and thus came into the property on 
which his son, Matthias Smith, erected the home of 
the "Brick-house" Smiths. Ebenezer, Jr., had two sons, 
Robert (2) and Matthias. Robert (i) lived in New 
York and used this as a summer home; he died in 
1858. Robert Smith was a lover of fast horses and 
was in the habit of driving from Jersey City to his 
home. He had one horse, of which he was particularly 
proud, that would cover the distance in an hour. 

In those days the Hackensack meadows were cov- 
ered with a dense cedar growth which was a hiding 
place for those whose deeds were evil, and the road 
was the scene of many hold-ups. On one occasion Mr. 
Smith, while driving home, overtook a woman who 
asked for a ride, and he took her in his trap, only to 
discover that the supposed woman wore heavy boots ; 
he then concluded that they would later meet with 
others who would assist in relieving him of the neces- 
sity of carrying his money home. Having made up 
his mind to rid himself of the passenger, he dropped 
his whip and requested her to get it, as he could not 
leave his restive horse; and, of course, once she was 
out, he did not wait for whip or passenger. 

The children of Robert Smith all of whom are now 
dead, were Charles H., Eugene B., Robert A., Sarah 
and Agnes W. 

LAI*D VALUES BEFORE THE PANIC OF '73. 

This property Was purchased by Peter H. and 

John H. Ballantine just before the panic of 1873 (the 

deed is dated January 31, 1873) when prices were 



OLD BLOOMFIBLD ROAD. 97 

greatly inflated, and they paid therefor the sum of 
$2x7,000, paying $50,000 down and giving a mortgage 
and bond for the remainder. It was not long before 
the new purchasers saw the error of their ways and 
desired to relinquish the property and the $50,000, 
but to this the Smith estate would not agree. It is 
hardly probable that they will ever see a profit on the 
investment, as interest at 5 per cent (and it was more 
than five in those days) would in itself now amount 
to almost twice the original outlay, and when the 
taxes and assessments to which the property has 
fallen heir are added to the loss of interest, even eighty 
dollars a foot can hardly seem a large sum to the Bal- 
lantine estate. 

WHERE JOHN MORRIS LIVED. 

Passing the Robert Smith place we come to the 
home of the Bartholfs, which was erected more than 
sixty years ago, as it is so designated on the map of 
'49. Who Mr. Bartholf was or where he came from 
I have not ascertained. The records show that John 
G. Bartholf purchased the property from Samuel 
Morris, who had it from Zebulon Morris, to whom it 
came from John Morris. This was probably that 
John Morris who was a resident of the old Bloomfield 
road during the Revolution. 

Mr. John Morris Phillips, in the Daily Advertiser 
of February 19, 1880, stated that John Morris was his 
great-grandfather, and that it was to his house that 
the son of Joseph Hedden came when he fled from the 
British (referred to elsewhere), having nothing on 



ra WOODSIDE. 

but his night clothes and a pair of stockings. His 
feet were frozen to the bone as a result of the ex- 
posure. 

Some time in the sixties Mr. Albert Beach ac- 
quired this property which he at first used only as a 
summer home. The house was taken down in No- 
vember, IQOQ. 

KEEN FAMILY TRADITION. 

The Keen homestead adjoined the Beach property 
on the north. Just when the farm house was erected 
is not known, but that it is pre-Revolutionary there is 
no question. 

In 1765 Thomas Keen, a native of England, and 
Miss Clorinda Lake, of Holland, were married on 
Long Island, and subsequently settled at Belleville, 
Essex County, New Jersey. 

Their son, Joseph Lake Keen, was maried to Abi- 
gail Morris in 1790. 

Their son, John Morris Keen, was married to 
Peninah Sanford in 1820. 

Their son, Zebulon Morris Keen, was married to 
Hanna Maria Garrabrant in 1863. 

Their surviving son, John Morris Keen, was mar- 
ried in 1908 to Helen Virginia Brainard. 

The grandfather of the present John M. Keen was 
bom in 1797, and Peninah Sanford was born in Kear- 
ney (New Barbadoes) in 1792. She was a descendant 
of Capt. William Sanford, mentioned elsewhere. 

The Keen homestead still remains, the house be- 
ing substantially unchanged, but the bams, cribs and 




THE KEEN FARM HOUSE 
Pre-Hevolutiouary. Tliis shows the huilding as it stands to-rtay 



OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 99 

smoke house have long since been removed. Pear 
trees standing in the yard over twenty years ago were 
said by Mrs. Peninah Keen to be over two hundred 
years old. This same grandmother, who began life 
in 1792, has stated that Washington, in one of his 
journeys to and fro, came up the old Keen lane and 
stopped at the farm house for a glass of water. This 
lane has been in use for at least one hundred and fifty 
years, as seventy-five years ago trees lined its borders 
which were then not less than seventy-five years old. 

THE "BRICK-HOUSE" SMITHS. 

Almost opposite the Keen home lived the "Brick- 
house" Smiths. This building was erected fifty-three 
or fifty-four years ago by Matthias Smith on the site 
where formerly dwelt his maternal grandfather, Mat- 
thias Baker. The latter had the property from Isaac 

Soverhill. 

THE SIDMANS OF OTHER DAYS. 

The Sidman family dates back to the time of 
William the Conqueror, when the first ancestor of 
whom there is any record is said to have come to 
England from Normandy. He appears to have been a 
favorite of the great William and received from him 
a considerable grant of land on the river Syd and 
from this the family derived its name — Sydenham, 
which was later shortened to Sidman. 

The introduction of the Sidman family to this 
neighborhood began with a romance, when John Syd- 
enham ran away with Susannah Handcock, in 171 1. 
It seems that Edward Handcock, "yoeman" (or 



100 WOODSIDE. 

Handcook, as one document gives the name) was liv- 
ing on this property in the year above mentioned, and 
that John Sydenham, who happened along from no 
one knows just where, fell desperately in love with 
Susannah, an only daughter, but the stem father 
frowned on the young man's suit and Susannah was 
locked in an upper room. 

However, John brought aroimd a ladder one night, 
and the two adjourned to the parson. That they were 
promptly forgiven is evidenced by the following ex- 
tract from a deed, made in 171 1 by Edward Hand- 
cock, in which he says: "for and in consideration of 
"the love, good will and affection which I have and 
"do bear unto my loving son-in-law, John Sydenham, 
"etc., and my only daughter, Susannah, his wife". 
He then deeds to his son-in-law four acres of his land 
situated on the "highway to Acquacanong", and six 
acres on the "highway to Watersson", which latter ad- 
joined land owned by Jasper Crane and by John 
Godon. 

The following genealogy of the family is furnished 
by Miss Laura M. Sydenham of Plainfleld, and is 
taken largely from the family Bible : — 

John Sydenham (i) married Susannah Handcock, 
1711. They had issue: John (2), bom March 16, 
1 7 14; died in 1754. Samuel, who died intestate and 
unmarried in 1759. There is some doubt about this 
Samuel, there being but slight mention of him in the 
records, but it is presimied that he was the son of 
John Sydenham (i). 



OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 101 

John Sydenham (2) married Martha Longworth, 
December 8, 1741. They had issue: — 
Dorcas, born November 30, 1742. 
David, bom October 11, 1744. 
William (i), bom July 8, 1746. 
John (3), bom May 10, 1748. He removed to 
parts unknown on the upper Hudson river, 
and nothing further has been learned con- 
cerning him. 
Susannah, bom February 15, 1750. 
William (2), bom November 15, 1751. 
Thomas, born November 4, 1753; died August 
12, 1816. 
Thomas Sydenham married Sarah Fordham, in 
October, 1779. They had issue: — 

Susannah, bom 1780; died 1852. 
Martha, born 1783. 
John (4), born 1785; died 1859. 
Mary, bom 1788. 
Sarah, bom 1791 ; died 1831. 
David, born 1795; died 1822. 
Bethiah, born 1798; died 1844. 
John Sydenham (4) married Amelia, daughter of 
Matthias Baker, August, 181 7. They had issue: 
Mary E., Martha A., Albert T., Sarah E., John E., 
Matilda L., Harriet and Julia. 

John Sydenham (2) married Martha Longworth, 
as stated above; she was bom August 23, 1724, and 
died May 12, 1804. Her sister Mary (born April 22, 
1737, died September, 1793) married a Mr. Eckley. 



102 WOODSIDE. 

The sisters both resided in the Sidman house now 
standing. One Isaac Longworth, who owned a store 
in New York in 1759, and was the owner of a sloop 
which traded up the Passaic river, is believed to be 
the father of Mary and Martha^ and also of a son 
Nicholas, who removed west to Cincinnati, and be- 
came the progenitor of that branch of the family. 

The house now standing is not the Hancock house 
of 1 71 1, though it is known to be more than one hun- 
dred and fifty years old. The Dutch oven, where 
bread and pies were formerly baked, is still a part of 
the structure, and the long-handled, wooden shovel, 
used to remove those edibles when baked, is still a 
part of its furnishings. 

The present spelling of the name Sidman has been 
in occasional use for at least one hundred and fifty 
years, as the name is so spelled in the grave-digger's 
bill for John (2), who died in 1754. In the paper de- 
tailing the settlement of the estate of John (2) the 
name is spelled Sidnham. In an inventory of his 
goods is mentioned "Hagarv a negro girl", who was 
valued at £40. In a document dated in 181 6 the name 
is spelled Sidingham. The present spelling came into 
general use with David, son of Thomas, who refused 
to sign his name other than Sidman. 

Miss Laura M. Sydenham tells me that when she 
was a child a certain hollow on the crown of the ridge 
which had the appearance of having been surrounded 
by a heavy stone wall, and which was situated in the 
fields, she thinks, somewhere between the house of 





Hi ' "*• -ixc 






"\\ 


\mk 


^.^1 


■rl^^Jv^ 


/ - 




\% 




/-' ^M 


IClI T •'■^'.>^'^ 






X 




#1 

.'' 'i ^1 




P 


HLf' 










^^^1 


B^^* " 


• 


^^^Wj 






^l^^l 


BMfe?y<^ ^ " ^* 









THE SIDMAN (SYDENHAM) HOMESTEAD 
Date of erectiou not known. Picture taken in 1909 



OLD BLOOMFIKLD ROAD. 103 

Mr. EHas G. Heller and the Presbyterian church, was 
pointed out by the elders as the site of a fort erected 
for protection against the Indians, but nothing more 
definite than this is known. 

Miss Sydenham also remembers having been told 
that a Tory, whose house was burned because of his 
unpatriotic tendencies, resided between the present 
Sidman house and Murphy's lane. 

The woods on the Sidman place were used to some 
extent as a camping ground by certain Indians. Miss 
J. A. Sidman recalls having heard her grandmother 
tell of an invitation extended to her by these Indians 
to dine with them and, as she preferred not to offend 
the red-skinned neighbors, the invitation was ac- 
cepted; but this proved to be one of the times when 
a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, for she ar- 
rived in time to see the dinner preparing and the 
careless and uncleanly methods of her hosts so nause- 
ated her that she invented some excuse and came 
away. 

Another of the early memories is Mollic, an old 
Indian basket maker, who frequented the neighbor- 
hood, securing her material from the Sidman woods. 
She frequently slept on the floor of the kitchen, al- 
ways in a sitting posture. One day other Indians 
came this way and the wild instinct returned to the 
old basket maker who, after an excited conversation 
with her new-found friends, departed with them never 
to be seen again in the neighborhood. 

The upper end of Branch Brook park, which was 



104 WOODSIDE. 

formerly a part of the Sidman domain, was known as 
"Blue Jay" woods. 

FOREST HILL BEFORE MORRISTOWN. 

Some years before his death Mr. Daniel F. Tomp- 
kins called at the Sidman house and made the state- 
ment that he had found in New York a document 
which contained information to the effect that Wash- 
ington contemplated establishing his winter camp at 
"Sidman's (Sydenham's) Clove", but owing to its 
proximity to the British lines the idea was abandoned 
and instead he fixed the camp at Morristown. Mr. 
Tompkins believed that this referred to this Sidman 
property which then covered a considerable tract, but 
no member of the family had ever heard any part of 
the estate called the clove, and nothing further was de- 
veloped. A brief search among the records of the 
New York Historical Society fails to reveal the source 
of Mr. Tompkins's information. 

A KEEN HOMESTEAD. 

On the comer of the old road and Murphy's lane 
stands another Keen homestead. The original house, 
which has been added to until it has lost much of 
its identity, was part of the Crane estate and came 
into the Keen family through the marriage of Alfred 
Keen with a sister of Nathaniel J. Crane. The older 
part of the house was probably built a hundred years 
ago. The front part was erected by Alfred Keen 
about fifty years ago. 

THE FARRAND FAMILY. 

The old Moses Farrand home formerly joined the 



OLD BLOOMFIELD ROAD. 105 

Keen property, extending to the canal. The building 
was torn down some years ago. It was a fine old 
place in its day, having been erected, it is said, near 
the close of the eighteenth century. The rooms were 
spacious for those days, while a great central hall ex- 
tended from front to rear. The walls were thick and 
massive, the brown stone of which they were con- 
structed is supposed to have been taken from the 
quarry at Soho. 

Dr. Edward D. Griffin pastor of the First Presby- 
terian Church of Newark from 1801 to 1809, was in 
the habit of riding out to this house to conduct reli- 
gious sevices for those living in the neighborhood. 

The family record in the old Farrand Bible, now 
in possession of Miss Anna B. Farrand, begins with 
Moses, who was born in October, 1728, and died Sep- 
tember 19, 1805; following him comes Samuel, bom 
July 25, 1759, died December 26, 1826; he married 
Sarah Andruss, who was bom December 30, 1769, and 
died in June, 1874 ; Joseph, bom December 20, 1801 ; 
born January zo, 1792; Moses Andruss (2d), bom 
October 11, 1793, died January 26, 1862; Rachael, 
bom August 13, 1795, died August 19, 1816; Sarah 
Ann, bom August 4, 1797 ; Charles, bom July 29, 1799, 
died in June, 1874; Joseph, bom December 20, 1801 ; 
died August 19, 1830; Phoebe, bom November 23, 
1802 ; Samuel Edward, born June 2, 1803 ; John Her- 
man, bom June 2, 1805, and Samuel Edward (2d), 
bom May 19, 1807. 

The oldest Farrand home in this region was situ- 



10« WOODSIDE. 

ated on our old road, but across the line in Bloom- 
field. Here Washington is said to have been a guest. 
This property fell to Charles, father of Miss Anna B., 
who has given me most of the family history. 

The Farrands, name originally spelled Ferrant, 
were Huguenots, and presumably were part of the 
emigrants who left France owing to the Revocation of 
the Edict of Nantes, following which several hundred 
thousand Frenchmen were compelled to seek refuge 
in other lands. A considerable colony of these settled 
in the neighborhood of New York during the early 
part of the eighteenth century. 

There is nothing further of interest concerning the 
old Bloomfield road; the short stretch beyond the 
canal which lies within the confines of Woodside offers 
no discoverable history or legend that may be used 
for this sketch. 




.I.M. Kkkn 



THK WATERFALL ON SKCOND RIVER AT BIRD'S WOODS 



Picture taken in 1903, before all the beimty of the 
region liail been destro.ved 



MURPHY'S LANE. 107 



MURPHY'S LANE. 
The Lower Road From Belleville to Bloomfield. 

THE VAN RIPER FLOWER GARDEN. 

One who knew Murphy's lane in years gone by 
would naturally begin with Charlie Van Ripcr's 
flower garden. When we were young, Charlie Van 
Riper lived in a frame house, the northern windows of 
which overlooked Second river. The foreground of 
his view was a neglected expanse through which me- 
andered Murphy's lane, and also a second cart track 
which, as I recall it, merely shortened the distance a 
few feet for those seeking "Murphytown" from the 
south. This cart track, which is now Sylvan avenue, 
west of Summer avenue, ran close by the old-fashioned 
flower garden, which Charlie knew so well how to 
encourage to do its best, with its marigolds and holly- 
hocks, and all the old friends set out in little odd- 
shaped beds bordered with box. Charlie was as gen- 
erous with his flowers as his flowers were generous to 
him, and many a child who stopped to gaze through 
the picket fence into that wonderland of gorgeous 
color went on his way with a bunch of blossoms given 
to him by the kind old soul. 

That portion of the wild land which was not inter- 



108 WOODSIDE. 

fered with by the traffic of Murphy's lane offered in- 
ducements to the youngsters that I am inclined to 
think they rather preferred to the Van Riper flowers, 
and these were the hazel bushes which grew in abim- 
dance, the ripened fruit of which was a great attrac- 
tion. 

BIRD'S WOODS. 

"Bird's Woods", where "The slant yellow beam 
"down the wood-aisle doth seem like a lane into 
"Heaven that leads from a dream", should have had a 
Sidney Lanier to immortalize its cool and delicious 
depths. It was the picnic resort of many a Sunday 
school, but picnics in the early days were simple af- 
fairs and did not call for changes that seriously 
marred the beauty of the forest. The growth was al- 
most wholly pine and hemlock, and the balsam-laden 
air is refreshing even yet to think of. A few swings 
and a sheltered platform, where lunch was served, 
were the only attempts of man to improve on the situ- 
ation. 

Second river with its babbling waters, the ruins of 
the old paint mill, and the old dam, with its waterfall 
at the woods' end, all combined with the forest to lend 
enchantment and to a child furnished possibilities for 
entertainment that were inexhaustible. How well I 
remember the rush of small feet when the Sunday 
school children reached the entrance to the woods, 
and how they spread out like a fan through its coverts 
of mystery, each one intent on finding something new 
or re-discovering some old friendly spot. 



MURPHY'S LANE. 109 

Then the woods were full of sound, and I can still 
recall the infectious laugh of Mr. Hine, who, as super- 
intendent of the school and chief promoter of jollity, 
urged the children on to a full enjoyment of the 
occasion and his call to a stray robin that might at the 
moment be voicing his approval of the place, "That's 
right, old fellow. Go it!" and then he would whistle 
to the bird in the tree in a way that started him all 
over again. We will never see the like of "Bird's 
Woods" again. 

NAMES OF FORMER DWELLERS ON MUR- 
PHY'S LANE. 

As nearly as can now be recalled the line of houses 
on Murphy's lane was in the following order: Joseph 
Johns (later John T3mer), William T. Wauters (later 
John Beardsley), John Murphy, Thomas Murphy, 
James Murphy, Pat Murphy (the chief ingredients of 
"Murphytown"), Bill "Whitehead" Bennett, N. J. 
Crane and Alfred Keen (on the corner of the old 
Bloomfield road). 

The Shields Guards was, before the Civil War, one 
of the institutions of Murphy's lane. The armory in 
which the g^ns and accoutrements, loaned by the state, 
were stored, was situated some distance back from 
Charlie Van Riper's house, near the present Mt. Pros- 
pect avenue. There were many Irishmen in the 
neighborhood and they formed this company as a rival 
to the Continental Blues, which numbered Belleville's 
best among its members. 



no WOODSIDE. 

THE FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL IN WOODSIDE. 

Among Mr. Hine's papers is a note to the effect 
that about 1822 a Sunday school was carried on in 
Woodside (for how long he could not ascertain) in 
the house of Mr. Joseph Johns, on Murphy's lane. 
This was an old stone house containing two rooms 
on the ground floor, in one of which, about fifteen feet 
square, the Sunday school was held. The house stood 
at the lower end of Murphy's lane, very near Second 
river. It was torn down during the winter of 1886. 
Mr. Hine says: — 

"Mr. Johns himself does not appear to have been 
"exactly a saint, but his wife, Peggy, was a woman of 
"exceptionally fine character and a devoted Christian. 
"She died thirty-three years ago (this was written by 
"Mr. Hine in 1887), and those who were children dur- 
"ing her later years speak of their visits to her house 
"as among the bright spots in their child life. From 
"the best information I can obtain, it was she who 
'•gathered the children of the neighborhood together 
"for Sunday instruction, but I learn also of students 
"from a seminary in Bloomfield who came down there 
"to teach, and who also established a school in Frank- 
"lin; they called it Pobishon. Whether that was an 
"Indian name of the region or merely a local title, I 
"do not know, but children from Belleville used to go 
"to both schools. 

"I have not been able to find out whether this an- 
"cient Woodside school was divided in classes or 
"taught in a body by the person conducting it; but 



MURPHY'S LANE. Ill 

"the exercises were simple and now and then a tract 
"would be given to a child, who in those early days, set 
"great store by the simple gift. I only know of two 
"persons now living who attended this school of sixty- 
"five or more years ago: they are Mr. Henry Stimis, 
"who lives on the River road in Woodside and his sis- 
"ter Eliza, who are well known to many of us. Mr. 
"William Wauters, who was a cousin of Mrs. Peggy 
"Johns, has for many years, and until recently, been 
"a resident of Woodside, and is the father of two 
"former faithful workers in this school, the Misses 
"Lizzie and Lucy Wauters." 

In view of the fact that the first Sunday school in 
Newark was held in 1814 (Daily Advertiser, Oct. 27, 
'83.) it speaks well for this country region that one 
was held here only eight years later. 

AN EASY WAY TO DIVIDE EVEN. 

As nearly as I can gather from current remark, 
Mr. Joseph Johns was a remarkably fine specimen of 
an awful example for a temperance lecture — certainly 
that appears to be the impression he left behind 
among the neighbors. A story still survives which 
indicates that Mr. Johns was also somewhat original 
in his method of doing things. 

It seems that he once had a sum of money in 
shape like a parcel of bills of tempting thickness, and 
Mrs. Johns, believing that it would be rather more 
safe in her possession than in his, tried to persuade 
him to give it up, but, failing in this, she firmly in- 



112 WOODSIDE. 

sisted that half of the amount belonged to her, and 
that he should at least divide. To this proposition he 
agreed and, taking the package to the chopping block, 
with one whack of an axe he cut it in two and handed 
one bundle to his wife, saying "there's your half". 

When he came to and realized the destruction he 
had wrought, he was at great pains to paste the bills 
together again, and in this condition they were put 
into circulation. For some years it was a common 
thing to find some of "old Johns's money" among 
change received at the Belleville stores. 

WAUTERS— WAUTERSE. 

Beyond the Johns house stood the dwelling of 
William T. Wauters — Wauterse, as his Dutch fore- 
fathers spelled it. The house is shown on the map of 
1849, but could not have been erected a great while 
before that date. 

POLLY VAN WINKLE AGAIN. 
It seems that Polly Van Winkle, mentioned in 
connection with the River road, was an inhabitant of 
BloomHeld and used Murphy's lane as one of her 
routes to and from the water side. She left the same 
general memory here that she did elsewhere — a little, 
old woman, bent nearly double with years and the 
weight of an enormous pack, which was her constant 
companion. 

MURPHYTOWN. 

Not much has been learned of the Murphys, who 

appear to have been brought over to work in the 




A BIT OF MURPHY'S LAXE 
As it was twenty years ago 



MURPHY'S LANE. 113 

calico mills, and who settled so thickly about midway 
of the lane that the spot became known as "Murphy< 
town". 

THE GYPSIES DO BUSINESS. 

Some time before the Civil War a small band of 
g3rpsies, headed by one James Trail, who had been in 
the habit of camping in the woods on the south side 
of the lane, purchased some of the Murphy property 
for the purpose of establishing a winter home. In 
those days this was an out of the way spot and quite 
suitable for the nomads. 

During the warm months these gypsies wandered 
over the country and at one time, while in Tennesee, 
they came upon a gullible person named Ferris. Him 
they induced to bury a pot of gold, or at least to allow 
them to bury it, at an auspicious moment when the 
moon and stars favored increase, on the theory that if 
left a certain length of time, long enough to allow 
them to get well out of the country, it would multiply 
the dollars to a marvellous extent. 

At the proper time Mr. Ferris dug up the pot and 
found it heavily laden with — lead, and was sorely 
vexed. So far the plans of the gypsies had worked 
as they wished, but what they had not counted on was 
the persistence of their victim, who managed to trail 
them to their winter lair. He then sought out 'Squire 
Sandford of Belleville, and offered him a reward if he 
would capture the thieves and get the money back, 
which the 'Squire did in short order. 



114 WOODSIDE. 

All who knew 'Squire Sandford in his active days 
know how useless it was to attempt to bluff him, and 
it is hardly necessary to state that the gypsies 
promptly came to terms. This resulted in their giv- 
ing up the property on Murphy's lane in order to 
avoid further trouble, and the 'Squire received half of 
the land in lieu of a money reward. 

THE BENNETT PROPERTY. 

On the far edge of Murphytown stood the home of 
Bill "Whitehead" Bennett. There were many Ben- 
netts in the neighborhood, and it was necessary to 
distinguish one "Bill" from another — this one appears 
to have been a blond. The records show that the 
heirs of Joseph Crane sold this property to John P. 
Durand, and he to Simon Sainsimon, he to Daniel 
Crane, he to Aaron I. Crane, he to William Bennett» 
he to Abram S. Hewitt, and he to Dr. Grenville M. 
Weeks. The following items in regard to the owner- 
ship of the property I have from Dr. Weeks. 

PETER COOPER OWNS LAND HERE. 
Early in the fifties Peter Cooper and Abram S. 
Hewitt bought a tract comprising about 38 acres 
just beyond "Murphytown", their intention being to 
make a homestead of it, but they did not build. In i860 
Dr. Grenville M. Weeks who was then a young man, 
living in Bloomfield, discovered the place and, liking 
it both for its beauty and for what he thought would 
be its future possibilities as the city grew, saw Mr. 
Cooper and asked if he would sell. The latter said 



MURPHY'S LANE. US 

no, as he had purchased intending to make his home 
here, but that since then he and his son-in-law had 
been looking at a place near Greenwood Lake, and 
they might sell a year hence, if they decided on the 
latter place, as Hewitt thought the city would crowd 
them out of this spot. 

DR. GRENVILLE M. WEEKS COMES ON 

THE SCENE. 

In '6 1 the Doctor again called on Mr. Cooper, who 
said, "Well, are you as hungry after that place as 
ever?" and when the young man said yes, the owner 
wanted to know how much he would pay down. The 
Doctor who was only twenty-one, had a half interest 
in a small drug store in Bloomfield, which had netted 
him $500, a very considerable sum to him, and when 
he said he had $500, Peter Cooper said, "$500 ! Young 
"man, have you any idea what the relation of $500 is 
"to a $10,000 place?" The Doctor then thought he 
could raise another $500, and the owner said, "I will 
"make a contract and give you a deed when you can 
"save another $1,000 and give me a mortgage for $8,- 
"000." The Doctor had by this time entered the Navy, 
and was thus enabled to secure the second thousand 
and the deal was consummated. 

In the course of time John I. Briggs bargained for 
the property, agreeing to pay $15,000, and paid $100 
down to bind the contract, but he never paid interest 
on the mortgage, and the Doctor was compelled to 
foreclose. 



116 WOODSIDE. 

MR. JAS. YEREANCB A RESIDENT. 

Next came Jeremiah Counsellor, a conductor on 
the M. & E. R. R., and a well-known character, and 
he asked the Doctor for an opportunity to sell the 
property, stating that he would sell it inside of a 
month, and that he wanted as his commission half of 
all he could get over $50,000. This was just before 
the panic of '73, when prices were largely inflated and 
the Doctor was naturally pleased, as, having been at- 
tached to the government service most of the time, he 
had not appreciated the rise in land values. Shortly 
thereafter the sale was made to Mr. James Yereance, 
a New York business man, for $57,000, $25,000 being 
paid down. The interest was paid for some years, 
but Mr. Yereance was finally unable to meet the pay- 
ments, and an amicable arrangement was made 
whereby part of the property was deeded to the father 
of Mr. Yereance and the remainder was bought in by 
the Doctor at Sheriff's sale. The Doctor speaks very 
highly of the honest manner in which Mr. Yereance 
treated him all through these transactions. 

DR. WEEKS AND THE MONITOR. 

Dr. Grenville M. Weeks carries with him a use- 
less right arm as a memento of the Civil War. He 
was surgeon on the Monitor when she sank, and tells 
such an interesting story — not only of this event, but 
also of the conception and building of the Monitor, 
many points of which he says are not commonly 
known — ^that a brief outline of his story is embodied 
here : — 



MURPHY'S LANE. 117 

DR. THEODORE RUGGLES TIMBY. 

Dr. Theodore Ruggles Timby, who died Novem- 
ber 10, 1909, at the age of 91 was, the Doctor believes, 
the real inventor of the Monitor. In 1843, Dr. Timby 
gave thought to the immense unprotected stretch of 
coast which this country presented to an enemy, and 
recognized how impossible it would be to construct 
forts that would cover its vast extent. It then oc- 
curred to him that if floating forts could be con- 
structed which could be taken to any point threatened, 
the difficulty would be met. It is said that the old cir- 
cular fort on Governor's Island first suggested a re- 
volving turret to him. 

By much thinking he gradually evolved the Moni- 
tor type, and fifteen years before the Civil War broke 
out had perfected his plans and submitted them to 
the various European governments, even sending 
them to China, but they all scouted his idea, some one 
of them remarking that every inventor had his soft 
spot, and evidently that of Dr. Timby was the 
thought that he could float an iron ship. 

Dr. Timby returned home and continued to work 
over his plans, placing airtight compartments in bow 
and stem, and in such other ways as he could devise 
meeting the objections that had been raised. 

When the Civil War came the inventor managed 
to get his plans before Mr. Lincoln, who immediately 
became interested, and who used frequently to visit 
his workshop in Washington to discuss them. Finally 
Mr. Lincoln, who had some knowledge that the Mer- 



118 WOODSIDE. 

rimac was being constructed and knew that some- 
thing must be done to meet the emergency, sent Dr. 
Timby with his plans to three of the wealthiest and 
most prominent men in New York, with a request 
that they submit the plans to the best engineer they 
could find. 

These took the model and plans to John Ericsson, 
then regarded as the best engineer in the country, and 
he, after shutting himself up with them for ten days, 
submitted a report in which he stated his belief in the 
feasibility of the plan, and that he could construct the 
vessel in one hundred days. The order was immedi- 
ately given to go ahead, and at the end of the one hun- 
dred days the "Monitor" was floating on the waters 
of New York harbor, to all appearances a success. 

An interesting addition to this story, which be- 
longs here, comes from Mrs. Lucy Gate Abercrombie 
of Forest Hill, and, while it is not part of the Doctor's 
narrative, it helps to complete the history. 

When Ericsson announced that the Monitor 
could be built, he was called to Washington for con- 
sultation and, among other questions, was asked 
where the plates necessary to armor the proposed ves- 
sel could be secured. He responded that he did not 
know, that such plates were only made in Glasgow, 
and that it was impossible to secure them from there, 
but that there was a man in Baltimore who had in- 
vented machinery for rolling large plates, and per- 
haps he could do the work. 



MURPHY'S LANE. 119 

MR. HORACE ABBOTT MAKES THE MONITOR 

A POSSIBILITY. 

This was Mr. Horace Abbott, the grandfather of 
Mrs. Abercrombie, who had perfected a machine for 
rolling heavy plates, by the invention of the third roll, 
but he had put his last dollar into the invention and 
the stagnation of business due to the war was writing 
ruin for him in very large letters. Mr. Abbott was 
sent for and a contract was signed, and in forty-eight 
hours thereafter the first plate had been rolled, and 
this led to other government work. Thus the Moni- 
tor not only saved the fortunes of the Union, but also 
those of one of its inventive citizens. 

Mr. Abbott's invention revolutionized the methods 
employed in rolling heavy plates; it has never been 
materially changed and is in use to-day in every roll- 
ing mill in the country. 

THE MONITOR GOES TO HAMPTON ROADS. 
Word was sent to Lincoln that the Monitor was 
afloat and he, knowing that the Merrimac was almost 
ready, ordered it to proceed immediately to Hamp- 
ton Roads. Ericsson, however, responded that this 
was impossible, that the vessel was intended only for 
harbor defense and would not last in a sea, as she 
was merely an iron deck set on a scow with an over- 
hang at each end of twenty-five feet, and that the 
force of the waves under this overhang would lift the 
upper works from the hull. He had not followed Dr. 
Timby's plans as to the hull, which would have saved 
the vessel in the storm off Hatteras referred to below. 



120 WOODSIDE. 

The only excuse for the twenty-five foot overhang 
that can be thought of now is that the short hull was 
sufficient to fioat the structure and cost less than a 
longer hull. The President, however, sent per- 
emptory orders that the Monitor should go, and we 
all know the result. 

TALE OF THE MERRIMAC'S ENGINEER. 

Some years after the close of the war Dr. Weeks 
met the engineer of the Merrimac in Dakota, and as 
the conversation drifted to the days that had been, 
the engineer told how the Southerners were highly 
elated at the first success of the Merrimac, and felt 
that nothing could stop them, and when they came out 
of the James river on the morning that the Monitor 
arrived, the captain was annoyed to see what he sup- 
posed was a raft lying between him and his intended 
prey, the Minnesota, and not realizing what it was 
or that it could offer resistance, ordered full speed 
ahead, expecting to ram and destroy the obstruction. 

"You can imagine our amazement", said the en- 
gineer, "at the shock of the impact, which threw us to 
"the deck; it was like running on a ledge of rock. 
"The iron prow of the Merrimac, which was made 
"for ramming, was bent and useless, and had we not 
"struck a slanting blow the result to the Merrimac 
"would have been serious. 

"But what finally overwhelmed us were the 
"enormous balls, eleven inches in diameter, which 
"came thundering at our railroaded sides until they 
"began to make breaches. Finally one of these ripped 



MURPHY'S LANE. 121 

"through us from stem to stern, killing or wounding 
"seven or more, upsetting gun carriages and causing 
"terrible devastation. Then it was that we realized 
"that destruction awaited us unless we could escape." 

DR. WEEKS TRANSFERRED TO THE MONITOR. 

One of the mistakes made by Ericsson was the 
placing of the conning tower, from which the vessel 
is fought, aft of the turret instead of on its top, as the 
plans called for. Because of this the officer in charge 
was compelled to swing the bow forty-five degrees 
out of her course in order to see ahead. This delayed 
the fight greatly and also caused Lieut. John L. Wor- 
den, who fought the Monitor, to be almost blinded 
by smoke and burned powder. This fact led to the 
transferring of Dr. Grenville M. Weeks to the Moni- 
tor, as it was necessary to relieve Lieutenant Worden 
and the Monitor's surgeon, Dr. Daniel C. Logue, 
went with him to the Brandywine, while Doctor 
Weeks, who was surgeon on the Brand5rwine, was or- 
dered to replace Dr. Logue. 

CAPTAIN BANKHEAD IN COMMAND. 

Captain Bankhead succeeded Lieutenant Worden 
in command of the Monitor and, as the Doctor says, 
there was a certain poetical justice in the succession 
of Captain Bankhead to this command. It seems that 
a board consisting of General Bankhead, the Captain's 
father, and Colonel Thornton of the army, and Joe. 
Smith of the navy, had been appointed some years 
before to determine whether this was a great piece of 



122 WOODSIDE. 

folly, as the Europeans thought, or whether it was of 
value, as the inventor believed. Thornton and Smith 
reported against the invention, while General Bank- 
head made a minority report in its favor. The Bank- 
heads were Southern men, but loyal when the Civil 
War came. 

SINKING OF THE MONITOR. 

The Monitor was ordered to Charleston, S. C, 
and on December 29, 1862, was taken in tow by the 
Rhode Island, a powerful side-wheel steamer. A West 
India hurricane was raging up the Atlantic Coast, and 
two days after the start that very thing happened to 
the Monitor that was predicted by Ericsson, the tre- 
mendous lift of the seas under the long overhang of 
twenty-five feet caused the deck to break away gradu- 
ally from the hull, and soon the cabin was awash and 
the heavy dining table was crashing into the state- 
room doors and cabin sides as the rolling of the 
clumsy little vessel rushed the water from side to side. 

At this point the Doctor went below for some- 
thing and found an engineer so sick in his stateroom 
that he did not realize their perilous position, and 
when the man refused to move the Doctor attempted 
to force him out, but now a wave swept over the deck 
and the Doctor, supposing the Monitor was going 
down, sprang for the companionway and had to fight 
his way up through a solid wall of water. 

Once outside he sought the top of the turret with 
the Captain ; in the meantime rockets had been set off 
to notify the Rhode Island that her tow was sinking 



MURPHY'S LANE. 123 

and the latter had cut her loose. By this time the 
fires were nearly out and the Monitor was so water- 
logged that she did not rise to the seas, but dived 
into them, while her officers and men could with diffi- 
culty hang on, shutting eyes and mouth until the 
flood had swept astern. 

The Rhode Island immediately proceeded to lower 
a boat on its port quarter, but while this was being 
done one of the most desperate situations of this des- 
perate night occurred. In some way an end of the 
immense tow rope which had been trailing astern 
became entangled in one of the paddle wheels and 
stopped the machinery. Thus she lay helpless for the 
time being. In the meantime the Monitor, which was 
still slowly running under her own power, her fires 
as yet not having been drowned out, was bearing 
down on the Rhode Island. In the darkness the prox- 
imity of the two boats was not discovered until the 
Monitor was on the point of ramming. Just at this 
critical moment the paddle wheel was cleared and the 
Rhode Island began slowly to forge ahead, and con- 
sequently the blow was not severe enough to cause 
serious damage, but it was a heart-rending moment 
to those on both of the vessels, who felt that they 
were very close to eternity. 

The collision smashed the boat which was being 
lowered but another quickly took its place smd, recog- 
nizing how easily it could be stove, this was well 
guarded with rope fenders. 



124 WOODSIDE. 

It was midnight and very dark, the two vessels 
had drifted apart again, but finally the small boat was 
discovered close in on their starboard quarter. It did 
not dare come alongside, however, for fear of being 
smashed, and the men were compelled to jimip. 

The Doctor was one of the last to leave the Moni- 
tor, and by this time the small boat had drifted so far 
off that he fell short into the icy water, but those on 
board caught him by the hair and collar and he was 
dragged to safety. The Doctor will never forget see- 
ing one of the engineers, who had been the life of the 
party and who was loved by all, miss the boat by five 
feet as he jumped, 2ind go down in the darkness never 
to be seen again. 

There were sixteen in the small boat, but it was 
staunch, and they felt comparatively safe. The waves 
were tremendous; at one moment the boat was rid- 
ing the crest of a mountain, the next it was engulfed 
in the depths. While thus momentarily between two 
great seas they dimly saw the bow of a second boat 
from the Rhode Island hanging above them, which the 
next moment would come down athwartships and 
grind them to pulp. A shout of warning enabled each 
helmsman to throw his tiller over and sheer off to 
some extent, but what saved the situation from be- 
coming a catastrophe to all was the Doctor's quick 
wit. He tells the story very modestly himself. 
Springing up and bracing his feet he grasped the bow 
of the oncoming boat as firmly as possible and pushed 



MURPHY'S LANE. 125 

it to one side and this, with the prompt action of the 
helmsman, just prevented the impending collision, 
but, as the one boat came down on the other, the Doc- 
tor's arm was gripped between them and he was 
pulled down to the water, his arm was dragged from 
its socket and hung attached to his body by a few 
stretched muscles. The intense pain caused him to 
faint, and had it not been that the cold water revived 
him as his head went under he would have been 
pulled overboard. 

When the boat reached the Rhode Island they 
found a spar extended from which depended ropes up 
which the sailors scrambled as only a sailor can, and 
then the Doctor thought of death, and it was not 
pleasant in spite of the intense pain he was enduring. 
One sailor lost his grip and fell into the sea, never to 
be seen again. 

What could a man so maimed as the Doctor was 
do to save himself under such circumstances? Noth- 
ing. There seemed no hope for him, and he thought 
of descending into that watery grave and slowly dis- 
integrating in the ooze at the bottom of the ocean; 
and the horror of it took hold on him, for he was a 
young man and wanted to live. 

Finally all were out of the boat but the men at bow 
and stern, the Doctor, and George W. Tichenor, when 
the latter shouted that they must do something to 
save the man who had saved them all. A rope was 
then thrown from the vessel and a bowline passed 



126 WOODSIDB. 

over the Doctor's right shoulder and under his left 
arm, and the poor, maimed body was dragged on 
board as a bag of potatoes might have been, but he 
was saved. It was good to feel the wooden deck un- 
der foot once more. 

NOTES ON THE CRANE FAMILY. 

The last property on this old road was the Crane 
estate. The first of the name to settle here was Jasper 
Crane (bom 1680), and he is supposed to have come 
here about 1730. The family genealogy goes back to 
an earlier Jasper, born 1600, who is said to have been 
a son of Gen. Josiah Crane, who was in the service of 
King James I. of England. Jasper married in England, 
as his son John was born there in 1635. Jasper came 
from England about 1639 and was one of the early 
settlers of New Haven, Connecticut, where he was a 
magistrate for several years. From there he removed 
to Branford and from the latter place to Newark in 
1665. Here he was a magistrate, was first president 
of the Town Council and was first on the list of depu- 
ties to the General Assembly of New Jersey for six 
years after the settlement of Newark. (See note page 
127.) 

John Crane, born 1635, had a son Jasper, bom z68o 
(the first to settle here). His son Joseph was born 
1722; this Joseph had a son Joseph, born 1767, and 
his son was Nathaniel Jonas Crane, bom z8o8. 

The old Crane stone house is supposed to have 
been erected about 1760 by Joseph Crane; this was 
taken down about i8go. The small wing at the right 




CRANE HOMESTEAD 



Supposed to have been erected about 17tiO. Picture takeu in 1890. Tlie baru 

which stood back of tliis house was tlie one in wliich cattle were 

slaughtered for the trooi.s of General Anil.ony Wayne 



MURPHY'S LANE. 127 

of the building is believed to have been the older part 
of the house. Those now living remember that in the 
attic of this part were several swords of various de- 
scriptions which Nathaniel J. Crane has said were 
used by members of the family who fought in the 
French and Indian War. The barn which stood in 
the rear of this house is the one referred to elsewhere 
as having been used as a slaughter-house when Gen- 
eral Anthony Wayne was camped under this ridge. 

Beyond the Crane house is the Keen homestead, 
which is mentioned in connection with the old Bloom- 
field road. 

Note for page 126.— Information concerning the Sidman family 
which was received after this book was in type and inserted at the 
last minute, shows that Jasper Crane owned land here as early as 
17x1. See page 100. 



PART II. 



C. C. BINE IN 1895 



"Tliere may have been men of greater and more beautiful character than his, 
but I never Icnew any and never read of any. I count it one of the moHt fortunate 
things of my life to liave been for so many years so closely associated with him. 
While it (the portrait) does not do full Justice to the subject (I do not think any 
photograph couldf, it is a face I am glad to look at and it recalls some of the 
pleasnntest memories of my whole life and some of the things which, 1 am sure, 
have been of the utmost value to me in many ways. He left nothing but a trail of 
good wherever he went. My memory is of a {i/e rather than of episodes; I only 
wish I could describe it as it was lived. The only two absolutely unselfish 
people I ever knew were Mr. Uine and my own mother." 

J AT TEKETCK. 



^^^^^^^^^^^K^W ■>.. ^Wi 


^ 


■ 


^^^^^^^^^^v 




^^1 


^^^^^^^^■*>Jm^H 




B 


^^BBBBm >*>«% a|p| 




B 


^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^HBp^!^^^^^^!^^ j^^^^H 


^^. 


^1 


^^^^^^^^^^^^K^^HkTy}^^^\^^H JttlK^^ 


^HHI^B| 


k 'i^^l 


^■^^^■^^^■■gBH ■r'-ri^m 


_n»mi^_ 


^ ^^^H 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^V 




^jS^^ 5 


^^^H^^Hh^^HIHPHH^^^k^^^^ 






^^^^^^■^^|^E3Hpbak-M^;77?I^^^^^HHH| 






^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hf --^^d^' *^^Pi^^^^^^^| 


^^^^«M 






pp 




^^^^^^^^^E^^^^^^^HVi "^ 


',' 


'JMBH^^^B^ 


^^^^E^^K 




'^H 


^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^j^M^^^^f^^^'^-"^^^^^^^ 


L 


J 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 

This second part is intended to cover as well as 
may be the period of time beginning with the open- 
ing of Woodsidc as a residence section. During these 
years Mr. Charles Cole Hine took such an active in- 
terest in the welfare of the neighborhood and was so 
wrapped up in and identified with its best interests that 
its history is his biography, consequently I feel that 
it will be proper to give here a brief outline of his life 
previous to the year 1867, when he settled in Wood- 
eide. 

Wficn women could lift their little children up to 
"take a last look at the best friend they ever had", as 
was done while the people passed by the coffin of Mr. 
Hine as it lay in the church, such as did not come in 
direct contact with the man may to some extent un- 
derstand what a feeling of love he inspired in those 
who knew him. 

For me he had a living reality that death has never 
removed; it was years before I could accept the situ- 
ation. Concerning no one else have I ever had the 
same feeling. Death has removed others and I have 
accepted the condition as final, but for a long period 



132 WOODSIDE. 

after the death of my father I had a feeling amounting 
to momentary conviction that he had opened the of- 
fice door and was coming toward me. and have looked 
up from my desk many a time to welcome him. This 
could not have been a matter of local association, for 
I was occupjdng an oflBce which he never saw. What 
it was I do not know. 

"Thy voice is on the rolling air, 
I hear thee where the waters nm; 
Thou standest in the rising sun. 

And in the setting thou art fair." 

CHARLES COLE HINE. 

Charles Cole Hine was bom in New Haven, Conn., 
December 21, 1825. When six years of age his parents 
removed to Homellsville, N. Y. His father was a car- 
riage builder, but of nomadic tendencies, and the boy 
had small opportxmity for schooling, though as a mat- 
ter of fact he went to school all his life ; he had an in- 
stinct for acquiring knowledge that could not be sup- 
pressed, and as a result those who knew him best in 
after life took it for granted that he was a college-bred 
man. 

With the versatility of many another self-made 
man he turned his hand to many things in his youth 
while finding himself. He once went on a concert 
tour with three other yoimg men, driving from town 
to town through Ohio and western Pennsylvania. 
At one time he turned to art for a living and actually 
did support himself, after a fashion, for a brief period. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 133 

painting portraits. Mr. Hine's father moved to Mas- 
sillon, Ohio, in 1837, «"^d there the boy grew up and 
cast his first vote. Once when clerking in a store in 
Massillon, among the commodities of which was a line 
of books, the proprietor, who was of a kindly disposi- 
tion, allowed the yoimg man to read as he liked, and 
as a result he read every book in the place, including 
an encyclopaedia, some six hundred volumes in all. 

When the telegraph was young he became inter- 
ested in that and established lines through parts of 
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, contracting for poles and 
their erection, selecting the local operators and teach- 
ing them the Morse alphabet, and doing any other 
missionary work that was needed. That he was some- 
thing more in this than ordinary is evidenced by the 
fact that in Reid's "History of the Telegraph in 
America" Mr. Hine's name is frequently mentioned, 
and always in complimentary terms. While in 
charge of the office in Louisville, he invented a trans- 
mitter to repeat messages in order to save the time of 
an operator, for in those days the electric fluid only 
carried a message so far, and long distance messages 
must needs be repeated by hand. Later some one in- 
vented and patented the same thing and made, I be- 
lieve, a fortime by it. 

An operator in the early days of telegraphy was a 
more important personage than at present. Mr. Hine 
has told how, when he was stationed in St. Louis, 
1848-9, P. T. Barnum was taking Jenny Lind aroimd 



134 WOODSIDE. 

the country and, upon reaching St Louis, he insisted 
on getting inside the telegraph office and making the 
acquaintance of the operator. As a result he took Mr. 
Hine riding with him and gave him two tickets for 
each concert, no mean gift when tickets were selling 
at $20.00 each. 

The year 1849 was the year of the cholera and of 
the "great fire" in St. Louis. "The city was a charnel 
"house; funerals were the principal events and the 
"chief business of the hour; hearses went on a trot 
"when they could not go faster." Mr. Hine was con- 
valescing from the disease and had been carried from 
a room at Olive and Main streets to his boarding 
house. That same night the "great fire" started on 
the levee. Four hundred buildings in the business 
heart of the city, which included Olive and Main 
streets, were destroyed. 

While living in St. Louis Mr. Hine met Mary Haz- 
ard Avery, whose parents had also removed from 
Connecticut, and was married to Miss Avery in that 
city July 4, 1853. Before that time he had established 
himself in New Albany, Ind., where in due course he 
represented the Adams Express Company, and was 
secretary of a plank road, notary for two banks and 
agent for several insurance companies, fire and life. 

While living here the New Albany Theological 
Seminary removed to Chicago, leaving a splendid set 
of buildings vacant, and Mr. Hine thought he saw the 
opportunity of his life in the establishment of a girls* 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 135 

seminary. The property was easily obtained, and he 
spent all the money he had and all he could borrow 
fitting up the place but, as he once put it, "the New 
''Albany Female Seminary opened simultaneously 
"with the great panic of 1857". He lost every cent he 
had and came out of the crash many thousands of dol- 
lars in debt. 

When Mr. Hine wished to enter active business 
again he bought up the outstanding notes against 
him in order to protect himself and, although his 
former creditors had no claim on him thereafter, he 
gradually paid back every dollar of indebtedness with 
interest. In this he followed the somewhat unique 
method of ascertaining who among his old creditors 
were most in need, and paying these first. 

As an insurance agent Mr. Hine had represented 
the ^tna Insurance Company, whose western general 
agent had said to him : "Mr. Hine, if ever you should 
"want to go into insurance again, please let me know 
"first", and after the crash Mr Hine promptly sent 
word to the headquarters in Cincinnati that he wanted 
a position and as promptly got it. Thereafter he was 
connected with the western office of the ^tna until 
he removed to New York in 1865. Mr. Hine was 
brought east by the offer of the secretaryship of the 
International Insurance Company, but the methods 
adopted not being to his liking he resigned. He was 
then practically offered the position of Superintendent 
of the Insurance Department of the State of New 



136 WOODSIDE. 

York, but preferring to be his own master and delight- 
ing in editorial work, he purchased the Insurance 
Monitor in March, 1868, and that became his life work. 

MR. HINE IN SEARCH OP A HOME. 

As soon as his work would permit he began to 
look about for a home, and ultimately decided on 
Woodside, which was then beginning to be exploited 
as a residence section for toilers in the city. In this 
connection it can do no harm to tell a little story 
which he often told of himself. 

As a young man he spent many of his leisure hours 
painting, and in 1844 painted much with a certain man 
in Massillon, Ohio, who was something of an artist, 
and during this time painted the man's portrait, but 
he had completely lost sight of his friend for more 
than twenty years. 

In 1866, when looking for a home site, Mr. Hine 
answered, among others, an advertisement of a Mr. 
M., in Morrisania, and while inspecting the house saw 
a portrait which he recognized as that of his artist 
friend of 1844, and one which he had seen many times, 
but which the lady of the house told him was Mr. M., 
an entirely different name. 

When the gentleman himself arrived Mr. Hine rec- 
ognized him, but neither gave any indication of the 
recognition and an appointment was made for Mr. M. 
to call at the New York office of his prospective cus- 
tomer the next day. 

In the meantime Mr. Hine got out his old portrait 




HOME OP MR. HENRY J. WINSER 



House erected In 1866. Situated at 201 Washington Avenue. In the foreground 

stands the old apple tree that was used as a talking 

point by Mr. Ananias 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 137 

of the man and placed it in his office where the caller 
would see it, expecting a good time in resuming the 
old acquaintance, but Mr. M. never came, and inquiry 
showed that he had disappeared suddenly, leaving no 
address, and that his house was vacant and in the 
hands of an agent. 

Mr. Hine's portrait of the man hung for many 
years over a door in the dining room at No. 209 Wash- 
ington avenue, and he was fond of relating an entirely 
new supposition accounting for the mysterious dis- 
appearance of the gentleman, which was advanced by 
his pastor who, on a certain occasion, was dining at 
the house when the story was told, and who "looked 
"up from his plate, gazed at the picture a moment, 
"and then looking me square in the eye said, in a calm, 
"deliberate voice: 'Maybe he was afraid you would 
"paint him again.' " 

MR. HINE FIRST VISITS WOODSIDE. 
Mr. Hine first visited Woodside in August, 1866; 
the house at 201 Washington avenue was for sale, 
having been erected by a Mr. Babbitt, who was unable 
to occupy it. Mr. Hine concluded it could be made 
to meet his requirements, and immediately closed the 
bargain; but it seems that Mr. Henry J. Winser had 
before this discovered the house and, being attracted 
by the great trees growing on the place, secured the 
refusal of the property for a few days, and it was be- 
fore this time had expired that Mr. Hine made the 
purchase. 



138 WOODSIDE. 

Here was a state of things which was unpleasant 
for all except Mr. Babbitt, who had his money, and 
he referred Mr. Winser to Mr. Hine, thus dismissing 
the matter so far as he was concerned. Mr. Winser as 
city editor of the New York Times was then investi- 
gating the Tweed Ring and could not attend to per- 
sonal matters, hence it devolved on Mrs. Winser to 
open the negotiations which resulted in a sale to Mr. 
W. and the purchase of property adjoining on the 
north by Mr. Hine. 

THE FIRST HOUSES ERECTED ON WASHINGTON 

AVENUE. 

The Winser family moved in on September i, 1866. 
At this time there were five detached houses on this 
(east) side of what was then Belleville avenue ; these 
were occupied by Messrs. Winser, Best, Baldwin, 
Neumann and Daniel F. Tompkins. On the west side 
were six houses, occupied (from south to north) by 
Messrs. Sommer, an artist; Shannan, Mrs. Van 
Wyck, James Gamble, George B. Callen and John 
P. Contrell. Between Elwood avenue and Carteret 
street the foundations for four houses were laid, and 
on the hill above Carteret street Mr. Charles D. Mor- 
rison who, with Mr. John I. Briggs, composed the firm 
of Morrison & Briggs, builders, was erecting his own 
dwelling. Below these groups on the south there was 
no building until we came to the spacious house, em- 
bowered in trees, of Mr. Horace H. Nichols, and 
across Washington avenue from Mr. Nichols, at the 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 139 

point, the house built by Mr. A. P. Scharff, later oc- 
cupied by Dr. MacKie, Mr. James A. C. Van Rossam 
and one Flavel. 

THE FIRST HOUSES ERECTED ON LINCOLN AVENUE. 

On what was then known as the Back road were 
the houses of Colonel Buck, Messrs. Samuel Royce, 
Miles I'Anson, E. A. Boyden, John Scharff, John C. 
Bennett; the first house of C. D. Morrison, present 
comer of May street and Summer place ; the old Phil- 
lips farm house and the house of James Swinnerton, 
Jr., on the northeast comer of Elwood avenue, which 
was then Berkley street. 

HOUSES ERECTED IN 1866-7. 

Within the year there were built the houses of Mr. 
Hine, Mr. Harlan, C. D. Morrison, Miss Teel, Mr. 
Pratt, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Faitoute, Mrs. Jackson, Mr. F. 
F. Mercer, Mr. Blackwood, Mr. McDonald and Wm. 
Chippendale, the latter a son of Richard Chippendale, 
who came to this country on account of the Chartist 
troubles in England, and about this time the house of 
Mr. Horace Carter on the Gully road was built. 

Several new houses were built on the River road 
near Grafton avenue, and were occupied by Mr. Web- 
ster, Mr. Oliver Gordon, formerly of Brookljm, who 
had a large business with China and was a colleague 
of the Lows; and Benjamin Brigg, son-in-law of Mr. 
Gordon and the representative of the Brigg woolen 
mills in Huddersfield, England. 



140 WOODSIDE. 

HOMES OF AN EARLIER PERIOD. 

Of the old settiers there were the houses of Sand- 
ford, Munn, Melius, Colonel Gumming, Stimis, John 
McDonald, Coe5mian and Weiler, on the River road; 
Mr. Alfred Hardwick Gibbs on the high ground north 
of the Gully road, known as "Thomhill"; the 
"Cedars", built by Frank Forester (H. W. Herbert), 
which had been bought by Mr. Sanchez y Dolce, and 
was then occupied by him, and also a group of houses 
about the junction of Washington and Grafton ave- 
nues and Halleck Street, which is treated of elsewhere. 

On the west side of Belleville avenue near Second 
river was the interesting old house occupied by Mr. 
and Mrs. Jonathan Bird and Mrs. Bird's two sons by 
a former marriage, Lewis and George Ashmun. 
This was a most delightful house, and the hospitality 
of the Birds was renowned. Mrs. Bird was a daughter 
of the Rev. Dr. Strong, of Massachusetts, and in- 
herited her gracious manner and charm of conversa- 
tion from a long line of ancestors who were among 
the best people of New England. 

They entertained with the grace of the early part 
of the nineteenth century, before the advent of that 
class of plutocrats that brought ostentatious pomp and 
more or less bad manners into society. Mr. Bird was 
a gentleman of the old school, and Mrs. Bird one of 
the most gracious and beautiful of women. It was 
always a delight to attend their evenings at home. 
One was sure of meeting all the charming people of 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 141 

the surrounding country and Newark, and there was 
no lack of brilliant conversation. When the gather- 
ings were not too large and the company could assem- 
ble around the hospitable board the table-talk was 
sparkling with wit, while matters of graver import 
were freely discussed. 

It is impossible to say when this old house was 
erected ; it bears every evidence of having been a very 
fine place in its day. One informant recalls having 
heard Mrs. Bird state that the house was built before 
the Revolution by an Englishman who sympathized 
with his king and was consequently compelled to 
leave the country when war was declared. This in- 
formation Mrs. Bird secured from a daughter of 
Harry Coeyman, who had received it from her father. 
Presumably this is Henry M. Coeyman, a son of 
Minard, who is said to have served in the Revolution, 
and the son would thus have come on the scene early 
enough to know the facts. 

The records do not go beyond 1790. On July 5, 
1790, James H. Maxwell conveyed the property to 
Alexander McComb who, on May 21, 1792, conveyed it 
to Daniel McCormick who, on July 18, 1792, conveyed 
to Thomas Bennett. The next transfer is a sheriff's 
deed dated June 24, 1812, to Jacob Stout, and on 
April 9, 1825, his widow, Frances, conveyed to the 
President and Directors of the New Jersey Bleaching, 
Printing & Dyeing Company. On September 10, 
1829, a sheriff's deed conveyed to Samuel Wright et 



142 WOODSIDE. 

als. Then follow the names of owners as follows: 
Andrew Gray, Bolton et als., Edward Dwight et als., 
American Print Works, 1835; James K. Mills, 1853; 
George Bird, 1853, and Jonathan Bird, 1859. 

During the time that the house was occupied by 
Mr. Bird the place was approached from Mill street 
by a bridge across Second river just above the pres- 
ent Washington avenue bridge. 

INTRODUCING MR. ANANIAS. 

After the many years of unclouded friendship that 
have existed between the families of Hine and Winser 
it is difficult to realize that there could ever have been 
any other state of feeling, but at the outset conditions 
were just the reverse and the cause of it is rather an 
interesting little story. 

Both homesteads were situated within what was 
once a Stimis apple orchard and each contained sev- 
eral magnificent apple trees that were probably over 
one-hundred years old, and it was one of these trees 
and an unruly tongue that caused the trouble. The 
tree in question was a picturesque old giant that stood 
on the Winser premises near the street and near Mr. 
Hine's line. 

A neighbor of both families, whom we will call 
Mr. Ananias, took a dislike to Mr. Hine, even before 
his house was finished, and undertook to make trouble 
for him. Knowing that both families admired and 
valued the trees which adorned their places he pitched 
on this particular apple tree, and first called on Mr. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 143 

Winser and during a conversation managed to intro- 
duce the subject of the new neighbor, incidentally re- 
marking that Mr. Hine, who was a new-rich up- 
start from the west, had taken a dislike to the Winser 
family and, having learned of its love of trees, had 
announced that he was going to have that apple tree 
down, Winser or no Winser, under the pretense that 
it interfered with his view. 

Having planted and properly watered the seed of 
discord he proceeded to sow tares in the next field by 
informing Mr. Hine that the Winsers had expressed 
themselves in a very disparaging way concerning him 
and his, proposing to annoy him in any way they 
could and, having heard of his admiration for this 
great apple tree, intended to cut it down to spite him. 

After this it was quite natural that the families 
should pass by on the other side — in fact the one 
turned its back on the other in so pronounced a 
fashion that there was no overlooking it. 

The Winsers saw the family move in and noted 
that it consisted of one gentleman, two ladies and 
three children, and concluded that the slender lady, 
who was in black, was a widow, and that the slender 
boy was her son. And thus matters stood until one 
morning there was a bad accident in the Hine kitchen 
and Miss Avery, the supposed widow, came over for 
help. The cook had been burned and Mr. Hine, in 
beating out the flames, had had his hands burned until 
the skin hung from them in shreds. 



144 WOODSIDE. 

Carron oil was wanted and a doctor was wanted, 
and Mrs. Winser, who was home alone at the time, 
did all in her power to assist the distressed by sending 
her horse for the doctor and coming to offer personal 
help. When she first saw Mr. Hine he was sitting 
with hands extended to avoid contact with anything, 
and when she expressed a wish to help he gladly ac- 
cepted, but voiced his surprise that, feeling as she did, 
the offer should be made. This led to a prompt re- 
tort, and almost before they knew it the situation was 
explained and the eyes of both opened, and thereafter 
there was a well-worn path between the two houses. 
During the ten days or more that Mr. Hine was con- 
fined to the house Mrs. Winser took down any mat- 
ters he wished to dictate and made frequent journeys 
to his New York office in his behalf. 

Much might be told in regard to the sayings of 
Mr. Ananias, but possibly one or two more of his 
pleasantries will suffice : — 

Mrs. Winser recalls her first visit to Woodside 
and the swarms of mosquitoes in the horse cars that 
were on hand to greet her: they were the real Jersey 
mosquitoes of well-defined propensity. It was Au- 
gust, and as she and Mr. Winser alighted in front of 
the house, which was then building, and which later 
became theirs, they were met by Mr. A., and to him 
voiced their opinions of the pests, but he waived it off 
with the casual remark that Woodside only had mos- 
quitoes for a week or ten days during the middle or 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 14$ 

latter part of August, and while they were bad then, 
it was only for a brief period. 

In July, 1867, Mr. Winser sailed for Europe on the 
destroyer "Dunderburg", built by Mr. Webb, but 
finished too late for use in the Civil War, and which 
had been purchased by the French government. The 
trip was considered dangerous, as the vessel had been 
intended merely for coast defense, and the traveler 
not only made his will, having been warned that he 
was going to a watery grave, but left the most minute 
written instructions to help Mrs. Winser over the 
rough places. 

What was Mrs. Winser's astonishment when, as 
soon as her husband was out of reach, "the Woe of 
Woodside" (our friend Ananias) came to her with a 
memorandum saying that Mr. Winser had pledged 
himself to pay $300 toward the erection of an Episco- 
pal church in Woodside. This was news to her, and 
she searched the book of written instructions in which 
all claims and all money matters had been entered by 
Mr. Winser without being able to find that he had 
made such a pledge as was claimed. 

When she made this announcement to Mr. A. he 
promptly answered : "Well, if this amount is not paid 
"by you, your husband's honor will be at stake and 
"you will be the cause". Imagine the feelings of this 
wife of fifteen months when told that she must pay 
this moral ( !) obligation or cover her husband's name 
with dishonor. Finally, without consulting any one 



146 WOODSIDE. 

versed in the ways of the world, Mrs. Winser paid 
over the money and, according to Mr. A., the name of 
H. J. Winser was put down on the subscription list 
with others, but some weeks later she learned that the 
name was not down among subscribers, but headed 
the list, and was used as a means of extracting money 
from other Episcopalians in the neighborhood. 

The Winsers had brought their letters to Christ 
Church in Belleville, and had had no thought of mak- 
ing any change; hence, on the return of Mr. Winser, 
and the facts being known, he was filled with wrath. 
It was too late, however, to do anything. The reason 
for this conduct on the part of Mr. A. is supposed to 
have been purely monetary, as he expected to profit 
by the work involved in the erection of the proposed 
church building. 

Thus when one acquainted with all the circum- 
stances once remarked that "the church was con- 
ceived in sin and bom in iniquity" the statement is 
thought to meet the situation with a fair degree of ac- 
curacy. 

Mrs. Winser was later appointed treasurer of the 
church guild, and had great satisfaction in making 
Mr. A. toe the mark when his part of the work was 
not properly done. 

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

Until the building was under cover services were 

held in Morrison's Hall, Washington avenue, opposite 

Elliott street, and the Lenten services, morning and 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 147 

evening, in the Winser house; but, as I understand 
it, when the church was organized some of the first 
services were held in Mr. Hine's house, as witness the 
following : — 

"At the first regular meeting of the Vestry of St. 
"John's church of Woodside, N. J., the following 
"resolution was offered by Mr. E. A. Condit and 
"unanimously adopted : — 

"Resolved, that the Vestry of St. John's Church, 
"Woodside, hereby tender their acknowledgments to 
"C. C. Hine, Esquire, for his numerous acts of kind- 
"ness and courtesy in their behalf, and especially for 
"the free use of his house as a place of public worship 
"during the past summer. 

"Resolved, that the Secretary communicate this 
"resolution to Mr. Hine and record the same in the 
"minutes of the Vestry. 

"E. A. CONDIT, 
"Secy, of the Vsty." 

On September 15, 1868, St. John's Church was 
dedicated, the church building having been in use for 
some time previous to this. The annals of the parish 
pass this service over. Bishop Odenheimer and some 
twenty odd clerg5rmen were present. 

Rev. Mr. Lounsbury was the first rector; he re- 
mained only a short time and Rev. Samuel Hall suc- 
ceeded him in February, 1868. 

The following notes are from the parish register : — 

"First meeting to organize, September 2, 1867. 

"Cornerstone laid, November 29, 1867. 



148 WOODSIDE. 

"Rev. Samuel Hall, rector, February 8, 1868, to 
"February 8, 1873, when he resigned to become rector 
"of the Church of the Redeemer, Morristown. 

"Rev. H. H. Barbour, rector from April 17, 1873, 
"to November i, 1875. 

"November i, 1874, rectory occupied. Rev. Fran- 
"cis A. Henry, rector from April 29, 1876, to October 
"3, 1876. 

"Rev. I. B. Wetherell, rector from November 29, 
"1876, to April 18, 1877. 

"Rev. I. H. McCandless, rector from April 18, 
"1877, to November i, 1877. 

"Rev. George C. Pennell, S. T. D., rector from 
"January, 1878, to January 15, 1880. 

"Rev. Arthur B. Conger, rector from March 28, 
"1880, to April I, 1882. Resigned on account of ill- 
"ness. 

"Rev. A. L. Wood, rector from September 11, 
1882, to September i, 1891. 

"Rev. Frank Albion Sanborn, B. D., rector, Scp- 
"tember i, 1891." 

He was followed by Rev. George W. Lincoln, who 
was succeeded by Rev. Rowland S. Nichols, the pres- 
ent inciunbent. 

A WOODSIDE MOLASSES JAR. 

That the women of Woodside were unusually at- 
tractive there is no denying. Of one of them it is told 
that she found herself in Newark rather late one 
evening after the cars had ceased to run and, being 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 149 

alone and unable to secure a livery team (for Newark 
was as primitive in its way forty years ago as was 
Woodsidc) she applied at the police station for help 
and an officer was sent with her on the walk home. 
They evidently had a very pleasant trip, for it was not 
more than three days later that the officer appeared at 
the lady's home, dressed in his best, only to find that 
she was married. An introduction to the husband 
somewhat cooled his ardor. 

CAPT. KIDD IN THE WINSER BACK YARD, 

There is a tradition that Captain Kidd buried 
treasure at a point in the Winser back yard where 
an ancient apple tree flourished when we were young, 
and the following facts seem to show good foundation 
for the belief: — 

We are told that oft during the quiet of the night 
(this was before the day of the trolley and its out- 
rageous roar) the sound of a pick being driven vig- 
orously into the earth could be heard from the direc- 
tion of the old tree, but when the hearers gazed out 
into the dark no one could be seen. Those watching 
with the sick frequently noted such sounds, and as 
there were no visible diggers and the following morn- 
ing no indications that the earth had been disturbed, 
it seems impossible that the work could have been 
done by other than the shades of the departed pirates. 
What, indeed, is to prevent our supposing that the 
ghost of the pirate captain himself was on hand, su- 
perintending the work in his old burying ground? 



ISO WOODSIDE. 

Then there were the snakes that guarded this old 
apple tree — great black snakes of a peculiarly fero- 
cious and menacing aspect — ^which, as is well at- 
tested by the most reliable witnesses, were known to 
deliberately simulate crooked sticks which, when 
about to be picked up by some unsuspecting human, 
would dart out a fiery tongue and with a terrible 
hissing sound drive the too venturesome explorer to 
the uttermost parts of the Winser lot. 

MORRISON & BRIGGS. 

Morrison & Briggs were the chief builders of the 
first Woodside houses. As nearly as can now be 
learned it seems probable that it was they who in- 
duced Messrs. Parker & Keasbey to purchase land 
here about 1865, open streets and lay out sites for 
residences. The builders at first had a very small 
shop on Berkley street (now Elwood avenue) imme- 
diately adjoining the house of Mr. Swinnerton, but it 
was not long before they erected a two-story wood- 
working establishment on Washington avenue, just 
north of Elliott street 

Charlie Morrison, of the firm, was a curious speci- 
men, good natured to a degree it would appear, for he 
was seemingly so unwilling to disappoint any one 
that he would promise the impossible without a blink. 
His fondness for moving was epitomized by his bet- 
ter half (very much better) once when she remarked 
that if he died first she should have his cofHn put on 
wheels, as he would never be content to rest in one 
place long. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 151 

Morrison & Briggs had not been exactly trained 
in the art of building but they managed to bungle it 
through in one way and another. The house at 209 
Washington avenue is an example: this was built in 
1866-7, and my recollection is of hearing that the cel- 
lar wall must needs be torn down twice before it 
would pass inspection. When the last payment on the 
house was due it was necessary to furnish the build- 
ers with a list (quite a long one) of those things left 
undone with a gentle intimation that the final check 
would be forthcoming when the deficiencies were sup- 
plied. There was then a very good feint at something 
doing, when another list, somewhat shorter than the 
first, was handed to the builders, and so by a gradual 
process of elimination, as it were, the house was pro- 
nounced complete. 

THE SAD FATE OF THE WINSER HORSE. 

During the winter of 1868 the Winser horse came 
to a bad end. It seems that a brother of a certain 
General S. had rented a house on Halleck street, and 
as the General was an old friend of Mr. Winser it was 
taken for granted that the Major, his brother, was 
of the same standing, and he was immediately taken 
into the Winser bosom. 

About this time the Winsers, having small use for 
their horse, had arranged to board it for a period in 
Westchester County, but when the Major heard of 
this he suggested that he take the animal, and that 
then if they wanted it at any time it would be near by. 



C. C. HINE AND HI3 TIMES. 1J3 

ing that this witness had no knowledge of the points 
of a horse, by showing that he was indebted to the 
Major for his position at that time and that he had not 
seen the horse until she had been in the Major's pos- 
session for some time. The Major was inclined to be 
flippant with the Court and, finally, when asked how 
he stood in regard to certain transactions, he an- 
swered that he *'stood in his shirt and trousers'*. The 
judge warned him that he would have to answer for 
contempt of court. 

After ten minutes' deliberation the jury returned a 
verdict against the defendant for $400 for the value 
of the horse and also assessed the costs on him, but 
it is needless to say that he never paid either amount, 
being a politician of note. The Republican party in 
Newark has certainly been loaded with a hard lot of 
citizens, first and last. 

THE OPENING OF WASHINGTON AVENUE. 

It will now be necessary to go back a bit in our 
chronology in order to get at the beginnings of the 
Woodside we know. 

The opening of Washington avenue, about 1865, 
was the beginning of a new era for the neighborhood, 
for then Parker and Keasbey purchased a consider- 
able tract in the vicinity of Washington and Elwood 
avenues and cut it up for suburban dwelling purposes 
and Morrison & Briggs, contractors, appeared on the 
scene. 

To be sure "the opening of the new highway con- 



\S4 WOODSIDE. 

"sisted merely in setting the fences back and making 
"a narrow cut through the hill just north of Carteret 
"street, the earth from which was used to fill the ra- 
**vine further north". A single car track was then laid 
from the cemetery to Second river, and Woodside was 
open for business. 

But it was not Woodside in those days. The first 
name attached to the locality, and which appears to 
have come into use about 1863. was Ridge wood. 
There was. however, a postoffice of this name already 
established in the state, and when the town was set 
off from Belleville the name was changed to the pres- 
ent form. 

In 1865 this was a part of Belleville, but it was 
not long before efforts were made for a separation, as 
the following documents indicate: — 

ASSEMBLY— NO. 49S. STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 

An Act to set off from the township of Belleville, in 

the county of Essex, an election district, to be 

known as Woodside. 

I I. Be it enacted by the Senate and General As- 

3 sembly of the State of New Jersey, That all that 

3 part of said township of Belleville, lying and being 

4 south of the Second river, be set off from the 

5 township of Belleville, and made and constituted 

6 an election district to be known and called Wood- 

7 side. 

1 a. And be it enacted. That Alfred Keen, 

2 Charles D. Morrison, and Charles Akers be and 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 15S 

3 are hereby appointed inspectors of election with 

4 power to elect and appoint a clerk for said election, 

5 at the annual town election to be held in April 

6 eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, at Woodsidc 

7 polling district in the public hall known as Wood- 

8 side hall, and who are hereby required and au- 

9 thorized to perform all duties required of inspect- 

10 ors of election, in and for said district, and shall 

11 preside at said first town meeting in said district, 

12 as inspectors of election. 

1 3. And be it enacted. That at the election to be 

2 held in April, anno domini eighteen hundred and 

3 sixty-eight, and at each succeeding April, three 

4 persons shall be elected as judges of election for 

5 such election district for the term of one year, who 

6 shall possess the powers, be required to perform 

7 the duties, and be subject to the liabilities as other 

8 judges or inspectors of elections, according to the 

9 general laws of the State of New Jersey, as they 

10 now are or may hereafter be, and said judges so 

11 elected shall act as judges of all elections to be 

12 hereafter held in said district, no ballot for this 

13 purpose shall contain more than two names; in 

14 case more than two names are voted for, the bal- 

15 lot shall only be void as to said judge, and the 

16 three persons who receive the highest number of 

17 votes shall be deemed and taken to be elected 

18 judges of election, in case two persons shall have 

19 received an equal number of votes, the first person 

20 named on the ballot for judge of election shall be 



ISS WOODSIDE. 

21 elected, and the said judges and clerk shall receive 

22 two dollars per day for their services, and the said 

23 judges of election shall procure a proper box for 

24 said district, of which place and time of holding 

25 elections they shall give at least two weeks' no- 

26 tice in five of the most public places in said dis- 

27 trict, and the said board shall have power to ap- 

28 point a clerk, who shall perform such duties as is 

29 required in the act to which this is a supplement. 

1 4- And be it enacted. That all acts or parts of 

2 acts inconsistent with this act be and the same are 

3 hereby rej>ealed. 

1 5. And be it enacted. That this act shall take 

2 effect immediately. 

ONE DOLLAR EACH. 

"Woodside, 13 Mar. 1868. 

"Gentiemen — At a meeting of the citizens of 
"Woodside, held last evening to consider the matter 
"of a new Township it was resolved that the passage 
"of the Bill now before the Legislature was desirable 
"and Major Sears and Mr. Alfred Keen were ap- 
"pointed (with power to select three associates) to 
"proceed to Trenton and urge the passage of said BilL 

"It was also resolved that the means to defray the 
"expenses of these gentiemen be provided by a con- 
"tribution of one dollar each from the signers of the 
"Memorial, and I was appointed to collect such con- 
"tribution. It being impossible for me to spare the 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 157 

"necessary time to call upon you all, I request that you 
"will hand the amount to my son, the bearer. 
"Respectfully yours, 

"C. C. HINE, 

"To Messrs. C. D. Morrison, Lorenzo Hart, Wm. 
"A. Wauters, A. Bigelow, Edw. Carrigan, Jonathan 
"Bird, E, Coeyman, Sam'l Royce, J. S. Gamble, Louis 
''Dovell, T. H. Blake, E. B. Smith, Geo. W. Harlan, 
"H. McFarlin, B. Dodd, T. A. Roberts, E. F. Higgins, 
"P. Smith, J. P. Contrell, Dan'l F. Tompkins, N. 
"Caughlin, Edw. Morrison, Jas. Swinnerton, Jr., J. C. 
"McDonedd, H. E. Joraleman, Geo. Ashmun, John H. 
"Meeker, Wm. Dixon, Geo. T. Teel, A. Van Riper, J. 
"P. Fowler, Alfred Sears, John I. Briggs, Geo. B. 
"Callen, A. C. Neumann, W. J. Harlan, B. R. Sage, D. 
"Evans, Geo. W. Keen, Owen Carroll, C. C. Hine, 
"B. F. Baldwin, H. J. Winscr, Wm. Jacobus, Stephen 
"Joraleman, G. W. Gumming, E. G. Faitoutc, Aaron 
"H. Keen, Anthony Epworth, E. Charlier, Henry 
"Farmer, Geo. W. Gore, Patrick Brady." 

If there were more names than these they were on 
another sheet which has been lost. 

The separation was effected appju-ently without 
much difficulty, and thereafter for a brief period 
Woodside was independent. For the gobbling of it 
by Newark see the early pages of this book. 

REMINISCENCES BY MR. SWINNERTON. 

The following items are taken from the "Rem- 
iniscences" by Mr. James Swinnerton, which were 



158 WOODSIDE. 

read before the Woodside Sunday School on the oc- 
casion of its twentieth anniversary, 1887. 

"At first a single stage which ran every hour was 
**the only public conveyance between Newark and 
"Belleville. This region was then a very primitive 
"neighborhood. Early comers recall the fact that 
"Washington Irving and his friends roamed over 
"these beautiful hills and wooded vales with gun and 
"dog. It was a veritable Sleepy Hollow, and Irving, 
"had he been a resident, instead of an occasional 
"visitor, might easily have rendered the Passaic and 
"its valley as famous as he did Tarrytown and the 
"Hudson. The hill above Carteret street through 
"which Washington avenue was cut was then a well 
"known spot to sportsmen, quail, ground-doves and 
"rabbits being the chief game as now recalled. 

"The infusion of new blood in Belleville quickened 
"the old, a direct avenue to Newark was demanded 
"and a horse railroad determined upon. Farmers and 
"others gave their time and the use of their teams to 
"break through the ridge north of Carteret street, and 
"a rough pathway was made over the hills to the 
"bluff on this side of Second river. Those traveling 
"further north must do so on foot after descending 
"the bluff by a steep flight of steps and crossing the 
"river on a rickety foot bridge of logs." 

THE WOODSIDE OF 1867. 

"The early settlers found a country beautiful to 

•*behold, but with the usual discomforts of a new 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 159 

"place. There were no stores, when short of provi- 
"sions neighbor must forage on neighbor; there were 
"no schools, Sunday or secular; there were no 
"churches, there were no Sunday horse cars — ride to 
"church we could not. There were no sidewalks, but 
"there was a superabundance of mud — ^walk, there- 
"fore, we dared not. Those who were bold enough to 
"do so found mud over shoe and usually arrived at 
"the church door in a state of mind. Mud in Wood- 
"side at this time came early in the fall, stayed the 
"winter out and lingered through the spring. Go- 
"loshes were at a premium and blacking brushes at a 
"discount. 

"A Woodsider of the period has been compared to 
"a duck standing on one foot, with the difference 
"that the duck stands thus from instinct, the Wood- 
"sider for the reason that he had no spot on which to 
"place his other foot. 

"During the day the horse-cars ran on twenty and 
"forty-five minutes' headway and seldom ventured 
"out after dark, owing largely to the peculiar facility 
"with which they ran off the track and the difficulty 
"of setting them in the straight and narrow way 
"again. 

"Your present get off, cross over and wait for the 
"bob-car arrangement is an improvement on the past, 
"decidedly; as such it may afford you some consola- 
"tion and hope for the future". (Mr. Swinnerton thus 
wrote in 1887 when there was loud and prolonged in- 



160 WOODSIDE. 

dig^ation over the "bobtail" car service furnished 
Woodside). 

These wdth other discomforts made life in Wood- 
side interesting and will serve to show the situation 
during the first year. We were without the bread of 
life — often short of the bread that perisheth. 

As there were no sidewalks the middle of the road 
was used as a foot path by those too early for the 
next car. "One day", writes Mr. Swinnerton, "in the 
"middle of the road, and in the spring of 1867, I met 
"and was introduced to Mr. Hine. After the usual 
"civilities Mr. Hine declared his purpose to start a 
"Sunday school just as soon as he had moved into 
"the settlement. This was good news, but I won- 
"dered how the ways and means were to be provided. 
"Many of us had spent our last dollar when moving 
"in, and there was not a spare room in the hamlet large 
"enough to accommodate a Sunday school." 

"Several months before this the residents met un- 
"der an old apple tree before the door of a small car- 
"penter shop (Morrison & Briggs's) to consider church 
"and other interests, but the carpenter shop had dis- 
"appeared and the apple tree promised little comfort 
"beyond shade. 

"When I ventured to ask 'where?* Mr. Hine's re- 
"ply 'In my own house* afforded me a new experience. 
"The notion of any one inviting the children of a 
"neighborhood to his home for religious instruction 
"was novel." 




HOME OF MH. C. C HINE, 209 WASHINGTON AVENUE 



111 this house tliree cliuiches have been orKanized, Pres- 
byterian, Episcopalian and Dutch Reformed 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 161 

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL OF JUNE 16, 1867. 

"Business engagements prevented my attendance 
"at the first session of the school, but its praises were 
"sung by the bairns at home and on the second Sab- 
"bath I went over, expecting to find a few scholars 
"and a teacher or two arranged around an out-of-the- 
"way room. To my surprise teachers and scholars in 
"crowds were pouring into the house by the front 
"door. On entering I saw chairs and benches in the 
"parlor and the room occupied by the larger children; 
"the library held the infant department, and there 
"was provision for a Bible class in the hall. 

"The school was in full swing — children singing 
" — Mr. Hine leading and thumping a melodeon vigor- 
"ously with one finger and a thumb — his practice 
"when no five-fingered player was at hand. 

"This show of life and activity was contagious. I 
"fell into line at once by offering to fill the position 
"of librarian. Mr, Hine's reply to my offer, 'we will 
"look no further, but you must find your own library*, 
"was characteristic of the man and the school. 
"Money and books were in hand by the following 
"Sunday." 

Church services were also held in the parlor of 
Mr. Hine's house. The Rev. Mr. Scofield, pastor of 



162 WOODSIDE. 

the Central Presb3rterian Church, Newark, preached 
the first sermon from the text, "What think ye of 
Christ?" Several city pastors filled the pulpit— or, 
rather, stood at the table, propping up the Bible with 
a pile of books. 

Invitations to preach were frequently extended in 
this form: "We shall be very happy to have you 
"come, but there will be no fee and you must bring 
"yourself as there are no cars, and not a horse in the 
"whole congregation." Ministers from a distance 
came Saturday nights and "boarded roimd". Theo- 
logical students accepted invitations, bringing their 
first sermon, and glad enough of an opportunity to 
try it on a real congregation. 

The following letter from Mr. Swinnerton, found 
among some of Mr. Hine's old papers, is inserted here 
as it is interesting in this connection: — 

"Newark, N. J., July i6, 1867. 
"Mr. Hine:— 

"Dear Sir — Send this just to let you know how we 
"got along with the meetings on Wednesday and the 
"Sabbath and, I am happy to say, first-rate. At the 
"prayer meeting there was a fair attendance. Mr. and 
"Mrs. Boyden led the singing. Messrs. Teal, Ben- 




THE FRONT DOOK AT 209 WASHINGTON AVENUE 



Tliroiigli which the Suuilay School teacliers ami scholars 

streamed each Sabbath for eighteen months 

beginning with June 16, 1867 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 163 

"nett, Pettit, Teal Junior and myself took part in the 
"exercise. 

"The Sabbath school attendance was 56 against 57 
"Sabbath previous. Mr. Taylor gave us a new chap- 
"ter in Sunday school experience. Singing good. 

"Mr. Dixon preached at night; the service very 
"interesting ; good singing. Mr. S. was not very well 
"but remarked on Monday morning that it had done 
"him more good to come up and preach for us and 
"breathe the country air than if he had stayed at 
"home. We had a full house. We filled the aisle 
"with chairs and there were, besides, nearly a dozen 
"persons in the hall. Mr. Pettit led on Wednesday. 
"I report progress with books — ^bookcase painting. 

"Shall see about preaching for next Sunday to-day. 
"Yours truly, 

"J. SWINNERTON." 

A CHURCH BELL IS PROCURED. 

Occasionally an expected supply would fail to 
come, and those who gathered for the services were 
then disappointed. To meet this Mr. Hine purchased 
a bell and hung it in the tower of his house and this, 
by clangor or silence, gave notice to all the country 
side. There were no street lights, and those attend- 



164 WOODSIDE. 

ing evening service on moonless nights have been 
likened unto swarms of fireflies as they ranged over 
the fields toward the house, every man with a lantern 
in hand. 

Building up a congregation without the help a 
pastor can give, and raising money for a church edi- 
fice, are no light tasks. Several of the families held 
cherished church connections in Newark which they 
were loath to give up; others were indifferent. 

FAIRS, CAKE SALES AND LECTURES. 

The few especially interested worked with vary- 
ing experiences. Fairs were held, the ladies baked 
cakes and gave them to the fair, the cakes were pur- 
chased by their husbands and carried home again. 

In October Mr. Henry J. Winser gave a lecture 
for the benefit of the church in the house of Mr. Hine, 
his subject being his recent trip across the Atlantic 
in the Dunderberg. As showing the capacity of the 
house, a circular issued at the time states that "about 
200 persons can be seated". 

The basement of a Newark church was secured 
for a midwinter festival (sec copy of poster) ; we 
were snowed under, and with difficulty reached our 
firesides. 




OF THE 



Woodside Presbyterian 

CHURCH, 



m THE BASEMENT OF THE 



Dutch Reformed Church 



MARKET STREET. 



Wednesday Jhursday & Friday 

DECEMBER 11, 12 and 13, 1867, 

Afternoons and. Evenings. 



The managers desire to give special emphasis to the announcement that 
ALL ARTICLES OFFERED FOR SALE ARE MARKED AT THE SAME 
PRICES ASKED FOR THEM IN REGULAR ESTABLISHMENTS. In 
no single instance has extortion or imposition, either in prices or the quality of 
goods, been permitted, and purchasers may rely upon fair dealing at all the Tables 
and Stands. 

Variety has been secured, and some new features introduced, at considerable cost and 
labor, and it is hoped that a generous public will appreciate them. 

THE SUF»F»ER. K003JC. 

Here may be had OYSTERS, COFFEE, TEA, MEATS, PASTRY, CAKES and other 
edibles of the season, all served in good style, and at reasonable prices. 

Useful and Fancy Articles made by the Ladies. 

Attention is invited to the variety here offered : Needle- Work, Knitted- Work, articles of 
Clothing and Ornaments, &,e., &.o. 

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. 

She had so many children she didn't know what to do. 

OUR little woman knows what to do. She SELLS her children ! And, wonderful to re- 
late, Philanthropists, Humanitarians, Anti-Slavery people, Fathers, Mothers, Children and all 
applaud her acts! Buy one — they never cry nor dirty their own faces. 

Art Gallery and Museum of Curiosities. 

A little nonsense now and then, 
Is relished by the wisest men. 



This feature must be seen to be appreciated. Do not fail to buy a Catalogne and 
visit the ART GALLERY. All who do so, enjoy the fun and recommend their friends 
to do likewise. About one hundred Gems of Art and eft'usions of Genius have here been 
deposited, for the delectation of admiring friends. They are mainly original contributions, al- 
though some copies from approved masters have been admitted. 

The Fine Art Department. 

A Beautiful Collection of Chromo Lithographs, and Fine Standard Engravings. These are 
all good goods, obtained from a wholesale house in New York, on terms that enable the ladies 
to offer them at prices never known before in Newark For example: "Irving and his friends," 
the beautiful steel plate, published at $12 will be offered at $5. "Washington's Last Inter- 
view," which usually brings from $3 to $4, will be offered at $2. Beautiful chromos of Ni- 
agara and Lake George, usually sold at $5 and ^6, at $4 and so on. 

This is a rare opportunity to secure beautiful embellishments for a very reasonable figure. 
Purchases will be delivered at the close of the Fair. 

The Erection Fund Subscription. 

This is the focus toward which all the other matters converge. Large or small favors here 
bestowed have direotneaa and force nowhere else attained. 

The Lemonade Well. — The Ice-Cream Stand. —The Cake 
and Confectionery Tables. 

These all speak for themselves and confirm their attraction to all partakers. 

Holiday Presents. 

CHRISTMAS IS COMING. Fancy Holiday Goods and Rich Presents are here offered at 
reasonable prices. Make your purchases at our tables. 

Silver-Plated Ware. 

These are all Fine Goods, direct from the Factory, and will be sold lower than the same 
quality can be purchased in the city. Persons desiring this quality of goods cannot do better 
than to examine the beautiful specimens here exhibited. 

Groceries and Family Supplies. 

This Department will furnish any article of Family Supplies, in any quantity, large or small. 
Purchasers can rely upon getting precisely what they order, and the goods will be delivered in 
the morning. Buy a barrel of Flour, a box of Soap or Starch — anything from a Nutmeg to a 
hogshead of Molasses. Prices the same as at the best City Groceries. 

OTHER DEPARTMENTS will probably be added as the fair progresses, of which due 
notice wUl be given. 

NEWARK EVENING COURIER POWER PRINT, 309 BROAD STREET. 



168 WOODSIDE. 

An auction of choice engravings and Prang's 
chromos was attempted in the third story of a deso- 
late building in Newark near the Market one Satur- 
day night. Few people attended the sale and none 
purchased the pictures. At a similar attempt in 
Belleville chromos to the value of $1.25 were sold and, 
on counting the cash, it was found to be thirty-seven 
cents short. 

THE RETREAT FROM BELLEVILLE. 

"Moscow to Napoleon was a trifle compared to 
"our retreat from Belleville that wintry night. Si- 
"lently we carried our goods through that long- 
-drawn-out village. Looked at through the mist of 
"time this appears like a trifling incident, but then 
"the giant Despair loomed above us, and it was only 
"the splendid courage of Mr. Hine and his indomi- 
"table energy and perseverance which kept us going. 
"Family interests he sacrificed for the common weal. 
"To every objection there came but one reply: 'I 
"have enlisted for the war, and until a permanent 
"building is erected my doors will stand open.' " 

"They did stand open for eighteen months, or until 
"January 3, 1869, when the second building erected 
"for church and Sunday school purposes in Woodsidc 
"opened its doors — the Woodside Presbyterian 
"Church — St. John's Church having been opened 
"some months previous." (Here ends Mr. Swinner- 
ton's very interesting paper). 

THE ERIE RAILROAD. 

One of the advertised inducements to settlers in 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 169 

Woodside was direct railroad connection with New 
York. The Erie had leased the Paterson, Newark & 
New York Railroad, which was opened in 1868 and 
connected with the Newark & Hudson Railroad to 
Jersey City, also leased to the Erie. This promised 
blessing was slow in coming, for at least three years 
elapsed before the New York connection was made, 
and in the meantime those whose business called 
them to the greater city must take the occasional 
horse car or walk to the D., L. & W. (which in those 
days stood for "Delay, Linger and Wait"). 

The Erie has ever been to a Woodsider as a red 
rag to a bull. The extremely limited service of the 
"Newark Branch" and the absolute indifference of the 
management toward the convenience of travelers have 
been so pronounced as always to give the impression 
that the road regarded passengers as a necessary evil, 
to be endured but not encouraged and, as a result, 
hundreds in the old days turned from it in disgust 
and went elsewhere. It is safe to say that the Erie 
was the chief factor in holding the growth of this sec- 
tion in check, while to-day its foul breath blackens the 
heavens and desecrates the landscape as its engines 
vomit vast clouds of smudgy soft coal smoke with 
a villainous impudence that can nowhere be equaled. 
The Erie is the only railroad with more than one 
stop in Newark that charges more to one station than 
to another, and no other gives so little or so poor 
service. Such is its uniqueness. 



170 WOODSIDE. 

THE MAKING OP A SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

Mr. Hine took up his abode in Woodside on April 
X, 1867. The following circular shows how prompt 
he was in starting the Sunday School: — 

SUNDAY SCHOOL IN WOODSIDE. 



There -will "be a Sunday School at the house of 
Mr. C. C. Hine, on Belleville Avenue, on Sunday 
June IH, 18t57, at: Half-past T^wo o'clock, p. m. All 
'Who reel an interest in this -worlc are cordially in- 
vited to he present at that hour. Arrangements have 
heen made for good sinsins and plenty of it. This 
SUNDAY SCHOOL, is intended to he permanent. 

In the Svening, at Eight o'clock. Rev. Mr. 
Soofield, ft*om the Central Presbyterian Church of 
Newark, will preach on "THE PRECIOUSNESS. 
OF CHRIST." 

On Wednesday Evenings, at Eight o'clock, until 
f\irther notice, there vrill he Social Prayer Meetings. 

All these Services are intended to he permanent. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 171 

A "BEFORE-THE-WAR" STORY. 

Mr. Mine's love for the Sunday school is so well 
known that no one will be surprised to learn that as 
a young man, and while traveling, he once taught a 
class in an Atlanta (Ga.) Sunday school. 

This was before the war, and Mr. Hine used to 
tell as a good joke on his self-esteem, how adults 
gathered about his class to listen, until they outnum- 
bered the scholars. This naturally made him feel 
somewhat elated until he found later that his audi- 
tors, learning that he was from the North, had gath- 
ered to ascertain whether he would inject any aboli- 
tion talk into his teaching. The young man, however, 
was too wise to try anything of that sort, and was 
more than thankful that he had been when he discov- 
ered the true cause of his popularity. 

THE MAKING OF A CHURCH. 

Even before the Simday school Mr. Hine had in- 
augurated church services in his dwelling, as is evi- 
denced by this second circular: — 



IJrcsbjjtcrian Cl)utcf) in iDootisilie* 



Since the 9th of June public worship has been held 
in a private house in Woodside, the Presbyterian minis- 
ters of Newark officiating. A weekly Prayer Meeting 
has also been sustained since the same date. A Sunday 
School was organized on the 16th of June, and its roll 
now includes 84 names* 

Application was duly made to Presbytery^ and a 
committee of Ministers and Elders was appointed to visit 
Woodside and organize a Church, which duty they per- 
formed on the evening of Monday, Sept. 23d* Seventeen 
members united at that time, seven others have signi- 
fied their intention of doing so, and it is thought the 
number will soon be increased to thirty* 

An eligible lot of nearly a half acre has been secured, 
and subscriptions, sufficient to pay for it, made by the 
residents. An appeal is now made to the Newark 
Churches for means with which to build a Chapel* 
$4,000 or $5,000 will be needed. 

The rapid growth and flattering prospects of Wood- 
side are well known in this community, and the import- 
ance of FIRST occupying this promising field can hardly 
be over estimated. Generous encouragement promptly 
extended will, under God's blessing, result in the speedy 
up-building of a much needed place of worship* 




PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CARTERET STREET 
Tlie first church organized in the house of Mr. C. C. Hine 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 173 

THE FIRST CHURCH OF WOODSIDE. 

The following "Annals of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Woodside" are copied from memoranda in 
Mr. Mine's handwriting: — 

"Woodside, Essex County, N. J. 
"June, 1867. 

"The first Public Worship held in Woodside was 
"at 8 o'clock on the Evening of Sunday, June 9, 1867, 
"in the house of Mr. C. C. Hine on Belleville avenue. 

"Rev. Wm. C. Scofield of the Central Presbyterian 
"Church, Newark, preached a stirring discourse from 
"the text, "What think ye of Christ?" 

"After the sermon it was announced that a Sun- 
"day school would be organized in the same place at 
"25/^ o'clock p. m. on the following Sabbath; and on 
"a vote to establish and maintain a Social prayer 
"meeting twenty hands were raised pledging attend- 
"ance. 

"At this date the village of Woodside is a mere 
"suburban settlement, containing some forty houses 
"that have all been built within the past sixteen 
"months (this, of course, refers to the Washington 
avenue neighborhood). The want of Church privi- 
"leges has been deeply felt, and this movement is de- 
"signed to supply that want, draw the people of 
"Christ together and build up a Church wherein and 
"whereby He may be honored and souls saved. 

"Saturday, June 8th, was a rainy day. The storm 
"continued furious over night and until after midday 
"Sunday. At sunset it was fair. Notice had been in- 



174 WOODSIDE. 

^'serted in the Newark evening paper, and on Sunday 
"afternoon forty-one houses were visited (by Mr. 
"Hine himself) and personal invitation extended. 
"About one hundred people assembled and the ac- 
"commodations were crowded to their utmost 
"capacity. 

"Wednesday Evening, June 12, 1867. 

"Twenty-five persons attended the first prayer 
"meeting to-night. Messrs. Hine, Teal, Bennett and 
"Pettit prayed — in the order written, and with sing- 
ling and remarks and reading a part of Luke 12th 
"the hour was profitably spent." 

MR. HINE'S HOUSE THE FIRST CHURCH BUILDING. 

The parlor of Mr. Hine's house was left unfur- 
nished; it was a room 15x25 feet and the arrange- 
ment was such that the hall and the "library" across 
the hall could be used as an overflow. He purchased 
benches for the main room and placed a speaker's 
table at the front end of the room, so that it com- 
manded the hall and beyond, as well as the parlor. 
A bell so heavy that it shook the entire house, when 
in use, was hung in the tower, and his eldest, who, 
though young, was a husky lad, recalls with many a 
smile how he used to shift those long, heavy benches 
to meet the varying requirements of the day, display- 
ing a species of muscular Christianity at this time 
which greatly pleased his sire, and how he would sit 
on the tower stairs and study his Sunday school les- 
son while he rang the bell for church or school. 

But not all were of so becoming a disposition, for 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 175 

I am told that Mr. A. P. Scharff, who taught a class 
in Sunday school, called his scholars a "Band of 
Hope", as that was the only thing he could do for them. 

I very clearly recall being a member of the 
infant class — Class No. 9 — under Miss Hannah Teel 
of blessed memory, and seating myself with other in- 
fants on the ledge of a book case in the library. If 
ever there was a good woman and a faithful one, it 
was Miss Teel, who watched over that infant class for 
many years, and who was wholly unconscious that 
she was doing an3^hing more than her plain duty. 
That kindly face is indelibly impressed on the 
memory of many grown-ups who were once children 
of the infant class. 

Of Miss Teal an old-time neighbor says: "Her 
"memory is dear to all who were children in the early 
"seventies. She was a woman of much executive 
"ability and, in addition to her Infant Class in the 
"Simday school, she had a school for young children. 
"Her sway was mild, but firm, and she delighted in 
"teaching the little girls not alone the four necessary 
"branches and sewing, but also many gems of poetry 
"suitable for their young minds. In her home she was 
"the mainstay of the household." 

Three churches were organized in this house, 
which can truly be called the First Church of Wood- 
side: the Presbyterian, St. John's Episcopal, and the 
Dutch Reformed, the latter being formed after a split 
in the Presbyterian congregation. 



176 WOODSIDE. 

A SPLIT IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION. 

In organizing the first church the majority favored 
the Presbyterian denomination, and funds were col- 
lected for a church building, which was duly erected 
on Carteret street. The first minister was one Clar- 
ence Eddy, and he proved so very unsatisfactory that 
he was soon invited to resign. I believe that the gov- 
erning body of the Church had had occasion to cen- 
sure the reverend gentleman for something, and later 
found that the minutes containing the censure had 
been tampered with. This was the last straw, and 
Mr. Eddy was given an easy opportunity to vacate, 
as the following letter indicates: — 

"Woodside, N. J. 
"June 15, 1870. 
"Rev. Clarence Eddy. 

"Dear Sir — The undersigned, members of your 
"congregation, beg respectfully to express the belief 
"that a dissolution of your connection with the church 
"is, under existing circumstances, desirable. 

"We, therefore, earnestly request that you will 
"take early steps to consummate the separation; and 
"this we do in a spirit of kindness to yourself and of 
"regard for the church. We entertain no sentiment 
"of personal hostility towards you and desire the 
"separation to be made in such a manner as shall least 
"disturb your own feelings and interests, both profcs- 
"sional and private, and best conserve all the im- 
"portant relations involved." 

This letter was signed by forty-six members of the 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 177 

church, including the families of Messrs. Hine, Nich- 
ols, Halsey, Swinncrton, Beach, Dovell, Blackwood, 
Harlan, Briggs, Smith, Snowdon, McDonald, White- 
head, Coeyman, Boyden, Slater, Madure, Carter, 
Snyder, Baldwin and Tompkins. 

Mr. Eddy refused to accept the gentle hint and 
it then became necessary to take the matter before 
the Newark Presbytery, which held several highly 
spiced meetings, and which finally decided that "we 
must support the poor minister", as one of the other 
"poor" ministers incautiously stated in public, and 
there was nothing left for those who had organized 
the church and erected the church building but to re- 
sign. 

The following, taken from a newspaper clipping, 
shows what the separation meant to the church. The 
writer, who merely signs with the initial D, states 
that of the $5,000 already paid on the church, less 
than $450 were paid by those who remained, while 
some $4,500 were raised and paid by those "who, from 
self respect, have been obliged to leave it", and more 
than two-thirds of the current expenses of the church 
were also paid by them. Personally I am just enough 
lacking in Christian charity to be pleased at the hole 
the Eddyites found themselves in, but that has long 
been a thing of the past and the bitter feeling then en- 
gendered is so completely forgotten that one who was 
in the front rank of the Eddyites can now say that 
"Mr. Hine was Woodside". 



:78 WOODSIDE. 

A PARTISAN. 

Mr. Daniel Halsey, who resided on Carteret street, 
at one time did business in Petersburg, Va., and it be- 
came the custom to have Mr. Halsey send to Peters- 
burg for a colored girl when any of his neighbors de- 
sired such help; thus there was gradually formed a 
small colony of Southern negroes, who were usually 
intensely loyal to their employers. One of these, a 
large, husky negress named "Milly", was employed by 
Rev. Mr. Eddy and thereby hangs a tale, as the story 
books say. 

Shortly after the split in the Presbyterian Church, 
and when the feeling was very bitter and the entire 
neighborhood was divided into "Eddjrites" and 
"Hineites", Mr. Hine had occasion to call on Mr. 
Eddy for some purpose and was conducted by that 
gentleman upstairs to his study. 

Two or three times during the interview Mr. 
Eddy, who was an extremely nervous man, thought 
he heard some one on the other side of the closed door 
and, excusing himself, got up to look out into the hall, 
but, seeing no one, resumed his seat. The conference 
over, Mr. Hine was shown out, and as Mr. Eddy re- 
turned to his study he saw standing in a niche near 
the head of the stairs his colored Milly, with a flat- 
iron in either hand and, as he approached she 
brandished her weapons, shouting as she did so: 
"Ah was ready for him ! Ah was ready for him !" ex- 
pecting, of course, there was to be a fight and recog- 
nizing her duty to her employer. Probably Mr. Hine 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 179 

never knew how close he came that day to a broken 
head. 

Milly was one of the impulsive sort and, so far as 
her lights went, she lived up to them. Mrs. Perry 
tells how, when she used to stand on the comer of 
Lincoln and Elwood avenues, hesitating to engage 
the sea of mud which lay between her and home, and 
which was usually over shoe-top— the real, red, Jersey 
mud — Milly, when she happened to spy her beloved 
Sunday school teacher in this predicament, would 
rush from the Eddy back door to the comer, pick up 
the little woman, tuck her under her arm and carry 
her across the street as a child might carry a doll. It 
was of no use to resist; Milly was as large as a man 
and as strong as two. 

PIONEERING IN WOODSIDK. 

In these crude times many were the emergencies 
that arose, and much ingenuity was called into play 
to meet them, for between the Erie Railroad and that 
farce known as the street car, Woodside was almost 
as isolated as an island in mid ocean. Thus the mak- 
ing of a mistake that in these days would be a trifle 
was sometimes momentous in its consequences. 

This gave a certain pioneer flavor to the situation 
and made of the community one great family where 
neighbor was dependent on neighbor, and thus 
brought out and developed character that the present 
easy times do not call out, and men and women 
loomed large or small as they actually deserved. 

One of the small-sized emergencies which arose 



180 WOODSIDE. 

had to do with a certain Sunday morning communion 
service in the Presb3rterian Church, and the situation 
was like this: — 

Mrs. Gumming had made objection to the use of 
wine at the communion, claiming that its very smell 
was intoxicating and its influence bad, and the dis- 
cussion that followed led to a resolve to try unfer- 
mented wine, which was then just beginning to be 
introduced. As a consequence Mr. John Maclure, at 
whose house the vessels used in the service were kept, 
and who had charge of the preparations for the 
service, made a special journey to New York to pur- 
chase a bottle of the unfermented wine. 

Mrs. Margaret Perry, a daughter of Mr. Maclure, 
tells how on the Sunday morning of this particular 
communion service, while she was practising the 
morning's music on the church organ and her father 
was preparing the communion table, she heard an 
exclamation of surprise, and looked up to ascertain 
the trouble. 

Mr. Maclure was a Scotch Presbyterian, and was 
necessarily limited in his Simday morning vocabulary, 
and there he stood in a momentary daze, and wholly 
unable to fit words to the situation, with a quart bot- 
tle in his hand which, instead of containing, as he had 
supposed, unfermented wine, was full of Carter's best 
black ink. The clerk in New York had wrapped up 
the wrong bottle. 

Imagine the desolation of the situation when, after 
inquiring of Mr. Hall, rector of St. John's, it was 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 181 

learned that he had only just enough for his own com- 
munion service, and there was no other where to turn, 
for there was probably not a bottle of wine of any sort 
in the small community. 

But here was demonstrated the pioneer readiness 
to meet and conquer the unexpected. Mr. Maclure 
gathered his family about him and all repaired to his 
garden, where the grapes were just beginning to 
ripen, and while some gathered others pressed the 
fruit, and by straining the mass through cheesecloth 
enough "unfermented wine" was secured to meet the 
situation and save the day. 

PASTORS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Following Mr. Eddy came Dr. James Evans, who 
served for five or six years; then the Rev. James A. 
Trimmer, four to five years ; the Rev. Jos. W. Porter, 
five to six years; the Rev. Henry C. Van der Beek, 
who served nineteen years; during his pastorate the 
church was moved to Forest Hill. The present in- 
cumbent is the Rev. Frederick W. Lewis. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE ELLIOTT STREET 

SCHOOLHOUSE. 

Mr. Swinnerton writes that Mr. Hine did not favor 
the suggestion that another Sunday school be started 
when the subject was first proposed, as he was not 
willing to do anything that would appear like oppo- 
sition or that might cause damage to his first love, 
but there were sixty-odd children among the families 
that had left the Presbyterian Church, and they were 
soon clamoring for Mr. Hine. In the meantime the 



182 WOODSIDE. 

trustees of the public school which had just been 
erected on Cottage, now Elliott, street, Messrs. Albert 
Beach, John C. Bennett and James Swinnerton, of- 
fered the use of the building for Sunday school pur- 
poses, and though Mr. Hine hesitated, they kept on 
with the work of organization and, when he fully ap- 
preciated the feeling, he yielded and, once his mind 
was made up, took hold in good earnest. 

FORMATION OF CHRIST CHURCH OF WOODSIDE. 

The Sunday school was naturally followed by a 
church organization, and the services of the Rev. John 
M. Macauley, who was then living in Belleville, were 
secured, Mr. Hine and Mr. E. A. Boyden being ap- 
pointed a committee for this purpose. As a burned 
child dreads the fire, it was but natural that the first 
thought was for a church organization independent 
of all denominational control but, this not appearing 
feasible, it was later decided that the Reformed Dutch 
Church would satisfy the larger number, and that 
denomination was adopted. 

The following, taken from the church books, 
shows the method of procedure and gives the names 
of those who were active: — 

"Woodside, N. J., May 16, 1871. 

"At a meeting held at the house of Mr. Charles C. 
"Hine, and composed of representatives from thirteen 
"families of the neighborhood, it was resolved to or- 
"ganize a Church Society. 

"After reading of the scriptures and prayer being 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 183 

"offered by Revd. Dr. Macauley and Messrs. C. C. 
"Hine and H. H. Nichols, the meeting was formally 
"organized by the election of Horace H. Nichols as 
"Chairman and Jas. Swinnerton, Jr., as Secretary. 

"It was then voted to organize without a denomi- 
"national name or connection, and on the standard of 
"belief of the Presbyterian Church, and it was also 
"decided, by a full vote, to call the Society 'Christ 
"Church of Woodside', 

"A committee composed of H. H. Nichols, C. C. 
"Hine, £. A. Boyden and Jas. Swinnerton, Jr., was 
"appointed to post the legal notice and arrange a 
"meeting for the election of officers, etc. 

"The meeting then closed with prayer by Dr. 
"Macauley. 

"The persons present at the above meeting were: 

"Revd. Dr. Macauley, 

"Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Hine, 

"Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Nichols, 

"Mr. and Mrs. A. Beach, 

"Mrs. Callen, 

"Mr. L. Dovell, 

"Mr. Stent, 

"Mr. Warnock, 

"Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Higgins, 

"Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Boyden, 

"Mr. and Mrs. B. G. Blackwood, 

"Mr. Jno. I. Briggs, 

"Mrs. Miller, 



184 WOODSIDE. 

"Mr. Dowling, 
"Jas. Swinnerton, Jr. 

"JAS. SWINNERTON, Jr., Secretary. 

"The following is a copy of a notice posted pur- 
"suant to vote of meeting held the i6th inst.: — 

"NOTICE! 
"Notice is hereby given that a meeting will be 
"held at 8 o'clock on the evening of Tuesday, May 
"30, 1871, at the house of Mr. Chas. C. Hine, in New- 
"ark, Essex Co., N. J., to complete the organization of 
"a church to be known as 'Christ Church of Wood- 
"side*. and to elect officers for the same and to 
"transact such other business in connection therewith 
"as may be necessary. Persons desirous of uniting 
"are requested to present their letters at that meet- 
"ing. 

"H. H. NICHOLS, 

"C. C. HINE, 

"JAS. SWINNERTON, JR., 

"E. A. BOYDEN, 

"Committee. 
"Woodside, May 18, 1871. 

"Woodside, May 30, 1871. 

"Pursuant to notice given, a meeting was held at 
"8 o'clock p. m. this day at the house of C. C. Hine, 
"Esq. 

"After prayer by Rev. Dr. Macauley, the meeting 
"organized by the election of Mr. H. H. Nichols as 
"Chairman and E. F. Higgins as Secretary. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 18S 

"The notice calling the meeting was then read by 
"the Secretary and, after some discussion, a paper 
"was drawn up and signed by those persons present 
"willing to unite in the proposed Church organization. 
"The following is a copy of said paper and signa- 
"tures: — 

"We, the Undersigned, hereby organize ourselves 
"as a Christian Church, to be known as 'Christ Church 
"of Woodside', Essex Co., N. J., to be governed by 
"such standards and regulations as may be hereafter 
"adopted. (Signed by) — 

"H. H. NICHOLS, 

"MARY C. NICHOLS, 

"AMELIA F. NICHOLS, 

"C. C. HINE, 

"MARY H. HINE, 

"JANE A. AVERY, 

"B. G. BLACKWOOD, 

"R. T. BLACKWOOD, 

"E. A. BOYDEN, 

"JANE D. BOYDEN, 

"LOUIS DOVELL, 

"MRS. LOUIS DOVELL, 

"ALBERT BEACH, 

"MARIA A. BEACH, 

"MRS. G. B. CALLEN, 

"JAS. SWINNERTON, JR., 

"ELIZABETH E, SWINNERTON. 
"Messrs. C. C. Hine and E. A. Boyden were ap- 
"pointed a committee to secure additional signatures. 



186 WOODSIDE. 

"It being thought desirable not to proceed further 
"in the organization until the report of the committee 
"had been received, the meeting adjourned to meet at 
"the same hour and place on Tuesday evening, the 
**6th day of June, 1871, 

"ELMER F. HIGGINS, 

"Secretary. 

"Woodside, June 6, 1871. 

"An adjourned meeting was held at 8 o'clock p. m. 
"at Mr, Mine's house and, after prayer by Rev. Dr. 
"Macauley, the officers of the last meeting presiding, 
"the minutes of the first and second meetings were 
"read by the secretary and approved. 

"Mr. Nichols reported having conferred with the 
•^Gentlemen interested in the Reformed Church, who 
"stated that they did not intend to locate in Wood- 
"side. 

"Mr. Boyden for Committee to secure additional 
"signatures, reported having seen several persons who 
"stated that they would attend this meeting if possi- 
"ble, and that some were present. 

"Mr. Hine then read a form of covenant which 
"was referred to a committee of three, consisting of 
"Dr. Macauley and Messrs. Beach and Blackwood, 
"for revision or amendment, who at once retired and, 
"after about fifteen minutes, returned. 

"Dr. Macauley reported that the committee 
"thought the paper remarkably well drawn up, but 
"that they would suggest that the clause reading 'that 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 187 

"repentance to-ward God, faith in the Lord Jesus 
"Christ and assistance from the Holy Ghost are suffi- 
"cient to cleanse us from our sins and restore us to 
"fellowship with our God', be altered slightly in its 
"phraseology, which alteration would not materially 
"effect or change the meaning, as follows: 'That 
"through repentance towards God, and faith in our 
"Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, 
"we may be cleansed from our sins and restored to 
"fellowship with our God', which amendment being 
"accepted by Mr. Hine, this paper as amended was 
"adopted and reads as follows: — 

"In the fear of God and with a sincere desire to 
'^promote the cause of Christ and our own growth in 
"the divine life, we do now enter into covenant with 
"God and with one another in the formation of a 
"Church to be known as 'Christ Church of Woodside*, 
"the following being a brief summary of our belief. 
"We take the scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
"ment as the only rule of faith and practice; we 
"avouch the Lord Jehovah to be our God and portion 
"and the object of our supreme love and delight ; the 
"Lord Jesus Christ to be our Saviour from sin and 
"death, our Prophet to instruct us, oiu: Priest to atone 
"and intercede for us, and our King to rule over, pro- 
"tect and enrich us, and the Holy Ghost to be our 
"Sanctifier, Comforter and Guide. 

"Unto this Triune God— Father, Son and Holy 
"Ghost — ^we do without reserve and in a covenant 
"never to be revoked, give ourselves to be his willing 



188 WOODSIDE. 

''servants forever, and in humble reliance on the Lord 
**Jesus Christ we promise to discharge our several 
"duties, in the closet, in the family and in the com- 
"munity, and also to attend upon the stated means 
"of Grace, the preaching of the Word and the ordi- 
"nances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 

"We do humbly confess the total depravity of our 
"natures, the enmity of our hearts against God and 
"the manifold transgressions of our lives, but we be- 
"lieve, nevertheless, that through repentance toward 
"God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace 
"of the Holy Ghost, we may be cleansed from our sins 
"and restored to fellowship with our God; and as a 
"further expression of our faith and belief we adopt 
"the creed commonly known as the Apostle's Creed. 

"We do bind ourselves by covenant to this 
"Church, to watch over it in the Lord, to seek its 
"peace and edification, to submit to the discipline of 
"Christ as here administered and to strive together 
"for the support and spread of the gospel of our 
"Saviour in all ways as opportunity may be given us, 
"relying only upon Him who is able to keep us from 
"falling and to present us faultless before the pres- 
"ence of his glory with exceeding joy. 

"On motion of Mr. Beach, Messrs. H. H. Nichols, 
"C. C. Hine and B. G. Blackwood were elected as 
"Elders for one year. 

"Messrs. A. Beach, E. A. Boyden, E. F. Higgins, 
"Jas. Swinnerton, Jr., and L. Dovell were elected as 
"Trustees for one year. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 189 

"After prayer by Dr. Macauley the meeting ad- 

"journed. 

"ELMER F. HIGGINS, 

"Secretary, 

"Christ Church, Woodside, Newark, N. J., from 
"which the First Reformed Church of that place was 
"organized, held its first service of public worship in 
"the schoolhouse on the corner of the old Belleville 
"road and Cottage street, on the 19th of February, 
"1871, Rev. John M. Macauley, D. D., officiating. In 
"the following month — March 12, 1871 — Dr. Ray 
"Palmer and Rev. Mr. Strieby preached; with this 
"single exception Dr. Macauley continued to preach 
"there for two years. During this time a call, signed 
"by every member of the church not absent from 
"home at the time, was tendered to Dr. Macauley to 
"become the regular pastor of the church. 

"In September, 1872, the question of a denomina- 

"tional connection was decided in favor of the Re- 

"formed (Dutch) Church and application was made 

"to the classis of Newark for admission. This appli- 

"cation met favorable consideration and a committee 

"consisting of Revs. E. P. Terhune, D. D., J. P. 

"Strong, D. D., C. E. Hart, and Elders A. C. Wheaton. 

"James Browe, was appointed to visit Woodside and 

"organize the church in accordance with the regula- 

"tions of classis. 

"Woodside, October 30, 1872. 

"The committee appointed by classis to organize a 

"Reformed Church at Woodside assembled for that 



190 WOODSIDE. 

"purpose Wednesday evening, October 30th, at the 
"schoolhouse. The exercises were opened by reli- 
**gious services. Rev. Dr. J. P. Strong preached a ser- 
"mon from Psahn Ixxxvii., 3d verse. 

'*After these services the committee proceeded to 
"receive the members, thirty-two in number, applying 
"to be organized as a church. 

"The organization was completed by the election 
"of Horace H. Nichols, Charles C. Hine and Baxter 
"G. Blackwood as Elders, and James Swinnerton, Jr., 
"Louis Dovell and £. A. Boyden as Deacons. 

"The following resolutions were adopted:— 

"Resolved, That the ordination of officers take 
"place on Sabbath, November 17, 1873. 

"Resolved, That the title of the church be 'Christ 
"Church, The First Reformed Church, Woodside'. 

"November 17, 1872, after morning service, and in 
"pursuance of previous action, the ordination of the 
"officers elected October 30th was taken up. Dr. Ma- 
"cauley officiating. Mr. Boyden having declined to act 
"as Deacon, Messrs. Dovell and Swinnerton were duly 
"ordained to that office, and Messrs. Blackwood, 
"Nichols and Hine as Elders." 

During the summer of 1872 arrangements had been 
made for the erection of a neat chapel on an elevated 
piece of ground on Washington avenue and work 
on the same commenced. The building was com- 
pleted during the following Spring and worship was 
begun therein on the 2d day of March, 1873. The 
house was dedicated shortly afterward (March gth). 




CHRIST'S CHURCH, WASHIXaTON AXD DF.LKVAN AVENUES 



Tile tirst ImililiHsr of this congregation and the third church to he nrgiiiiizefl in the 
house of Mr. C. C. Hine. Note the horse cars 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 191 

Revs. Terhune, Strong, Abeel, Hart and the pastor, 
Dr. Macauley, taking part in the services. The 
stained glass used in this building was a Woodside 
production, made by George Laerter in a small place 
in the neighborhood of Washington avenue and Hal- 

leck street. 

DR. MACAULEY THE FIRST PASTOR OF 
CHRIST CHURCH. 
On the 5th of March, 1873, at a meeting attended 
by all the elders and deacons, it was resolved to re- 
peat the call to Dr. John M. Macauley, to become the 
settled pastor of the church. A committee was then 
appointed and instructed to proceed with that duty in 
conformity with the usages of the Reformed Church. 
The call was duly drawn up and, on the 31st of De- 
cember, 1873, a meeting, moderated by Rev. Dr. J. 
P. Strong, of Belleville, was held, at which the in- 
strument was completed and signed and ordered to be 
placed in Dr. Macauley's hands for approval prior to 
presentation at the next regular meeting of classis. 

DR. JOHN M. MACAULEY. 

On May 3, 1874, Dr. Macauley was installed pas- 
tor of the church. The Doctor was a man of rare edu- 
cation, a delightful companion with a brilliant mind 
and a forceful and graceful method of speaking; a 
pulpit orator of the old school, trained in gesture, 
word and manner as well as mind. Will Gumming, of 
the River road, then a young man studying law, and 
himself unusually clever, used to come regularly to 
the Sunday morning service in order to study the 



192 WOODSIDE. 

Doctor's polished manner and language. The Doctor 
was one of the very few who could preach a long 
sermon and hold the close attention of his audience 
to the last word. 

TWO UNMENTIONABLES. 

After the Doctor came two who covered a period 
extending from 1881 to 1894, and concerning whom 
little that is agreeable can be recorded. However a 
search of the church records shows that on Decem- 
ber 8, 1888, a bill for fertilizing the church lawn was 
submitted by the pastor and ordered paid; thus we 
see that his labors were not all in vain. During this 
period the church building was moved from No. 215 
Washington avenue to the present location and a par- 
sonage was erected in the rear. 

REV. ISAAC VAN WART SCHENCK. 

As is well known it is easier to get an old man of 
the sea on one's back than to get rid of him, but the 
spell was finally broken when, on August 13, 1894, a 
call was extended to the Rev. Isaac Van Wart 
Schenck, who proved to be the opposite in every re- 
spect of his two predecessors. Mr. Schenck was a 
whole-souled man who always gave his best to the 
church and he was greatly beloved by Mr. Hine. 

It is interesting to note that the first trolley car 
ran through Woodside on the first Sunday that Mr. 
Schenck preached in the church. 

REV. HENRY MERLE MELLEN. 

Mr. Schenck was succeeded by the Rev. Henry 
Merle Mellen in September, 1900, and, under his ad- 




CHRIST'S CHURCH. WASHINGTON AND DELEVAN AVENUES 
The scccjid clmrcli edifice of tliis coueresation. Erected 1906-7 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 193 

ministration, the present church edifice was erected, 
the success of this enterprise being largely due to Mr. 
Mellen's exertions. 

On December 6, 1903, the mortgage of $1,900 on 
the old church property was burned and the church 
cleared of all indebtedness. 

February 4, 1904, the question of erecting a new 
church edifice was publicly discussed by the congre- 
gation, and the minister was instructed to appoint a 
building committee of twenty members. 

March 10, 1904, the building committee met and 
organized with Judge Alfred F. Skinner as chairman, 
William B. Abbey as secretary, and George S. Bruen 
as treasurer. It was decided to limit the cost of build- 
ing and furnishings to $25,000. 

April 29, 1905, Charles G. Jones of Belleville was 
selected as architect. 

March 20, 1906, it was decided to move the old 
building to the back of the lot. 

April 12, 1906, ground was broken for the new 
building. 

June 14, 1906, the corner stone was laid under the 
auspices of the Classis of Newark. 

January 20, 1907, the new church was opened for 
worship. 

January 21, 1907, the building was dedicated. 

Memorial windows to the memory of Mr. C. C. 
Hine and Mrs. Mary H. Hine, to Mrs. Anna W. Hine 
and to the parents of Mr. Mellen, the minister, were 
placed in the building. 



194 WOODSIDE. 

The cost of the new church complete was a trifle 
over $46,000. 

This brief outline by no means tells the story. As 
before stated, the inception of the church is due to 
the Rev. Henry Merle Mellen, and the raising of 
money was also largely due to Mr. Mellen's activity 
and unselfish devotion to the cause. The building 
committee was more than fortunate in its chairman 
and members, and the result of their work is an orna- 
ment to the locality. 

INCIDENTS OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH. 

During the very early days of the church on the 
hill, sexton Budd introduced his patent gasoline lamps 
for lighting purposes, and no doubt was proud of his 
accomplishment, but why the crazy things did not 
blow up the first time they were lighted is the chief 
mystery of the situation. As nearly as we can recall 
the outfit consisted of the ordinary glass font with 
a small metal tube at the top through which the vapor 
arose, which gave light when a match was applied. 
These did not stay long, for Mr. Hine, who was an 
insurance man, very shortly discovered their possibili- 
ties. 

The lighting of Christ Church was first accom- 
plished with kerosene lamps, there being no gas in 
the neighborhood then, except that made on the 
premises of Mr. Hine for his own house. It occurred 
to that gentleman that he could attach the church 
(which then stood on the lot adjoining his home) 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 195 

to that same gas machine, and thus do away with the 
dim and troublesome kerosene burners. 

The idea was good, but the pumping machinery 
which forced the flow of gas through the pipes was 
inadequate for the extra work and, as a result, the 
pump must be wound up by hand two or three times 
during a Sunday evening. This usually fell to the lot 
of the small boys who did not go to evening service, 
they being strictly charged to visit the cellar every 
thirty minutes or so and do the necessary work; but 
small boys had a way of getting sleepy in those days, 
and there is a tradition that Mr. Hine, being warned 
by the gradual dimming of the lights, had to leave the 
church in a great hurry occasionally and operate the 
pump himself. 

THE CHURCH CHOIR. 
Mr. Hine was musical to his linger tips and found 
great enjoyment in the practice of the art. In his 
youth he composed a number of songs and ballads 
which were published in St. Louis. Naturally he had 
charge of the church music, and among the pleasantest 
experiences of his life were the choir rehearsals, and 
particularly was this the case when Mr. Jay Ten Eyck 
presided at the organ and the quartet choir consisted 
of Mrs. F. W. Schmidt, Mrs. Dr. J. E. Janes, Mr. Har- 
rison I. Norton and Mr. Hine. One who knew him 
well at that time has said that "he was just like a boy 
"going to a ball game when he came down to the 
"church on choir rehearsal nights", such was his en- 
thusiasm. 



296 WOODSIDE. 

The selection and preparation of special music for 
Easter and other occasions gave him the most keen 
delight. At such times he would come home with an 
armful of carols and spend evening after evening try- 
ing them, usually with his flute, his daughter-in-law 
being at the piano. The possibilities were then taken 
up by the choir and the resulting music was reason- 
ably good, though considerable good natured fun was 
poked at the choir-master on one occasion, at least, 
when, after having labored earnestly over a long 
Easter Sunday anthem the domine immediately be- 
gan his prayer with, "Oh, Lord, we thank Thee that 
it is finished". 

Mr. Hine was notably successful with the Sunday 
school music, having a peculiar faculty for arousing 
the enthusiasm of children. His "Now, children!** 
brought prompt and complete attention from all, and 
he was so absorbed himself in the work and was so 
much a part of it that the children abandoned them- 
selves to his sway and responded with a gusto that 
made the singing of the school a great feature. 

WOODSIDE, 1868-9. 

Woodside was set off from Belleville in 1868 and 
lasted as an independent town just about two years. 
Again I fall back on Mr. Swinnerton, who was town 
clerk both years, for details. He says: — 

"When the new element came it found a lot of old- 
"timers, very glad to welcome us and to benefit by 
"the church and Sunday school privileges, but unwill- 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 197 

"ing to spend any money for street or sidewalk bet- 
"terment. Belleville contained many of the same sort, 
"but there were some there who helped us secure our 
"set-off into a township." 

WOODSIDE TOWNSHIP. 

UNION TICKET. 

For Judges of Election, 

CHARLES AKERS. 

EDWARD P. SNOWDEN. 

HORACE B. NICHOLS. 

For Aaseasor, 
NATHANIEL J. CRANE, 

For Collector, 
JAMES 8. GAMBLE. 

For Town Clerk, 
JAMES SWINNERTON, JR. 

For Justice of tbe Peace, 
ELIAS OSBORN. 

For Town Committee, 

CHARLES AKERS. 

MILES I'ANSON, 

JOSEPH I. DOWLINO. 

HORACE CARTER, 

JOHN McMULLEN. 

For Commissioners of Appeal, 
JOHN C. BENNETT, 
EDWARD G. FAITODTE, 
JOHN I. BRIGGS. 

For Cbosen Freeholder, 

CHARLES AKERS. 
HORACE H. NICHOLS. 



198 WOODSIDE. 

For Constables, 

JOHN BURKE, 

BETHDEL MDNN, 

PHINEAS M. SMITH. 

For Surreyora of HighwafS, 

TRUMAN H. ALDRICH, 

GEORGE K. HARRISON, 

JOHN 0. BENNETT. 

For Poand Keepers, 

NATHANIEL J. CRANE, 

JOHN C. BENNETT, 

JOHN I. BRIGGS. 

JOHN McDonald, 

GEORGE K. HARRISON. 



Boad Tax f4,000 00 

School Tax, per child 8 00 

Poor Tax 500 00 

Dog Tax, aa the law allows. 

Incidental Expenses SOO 00 

"The village had scarce gained its independence, 
"however, when it was saddled with a heavy debt in 
"the shape of bonds for the Midland (now Greenwood 
"Lake) Railroad. This made it imprudent to attempt 
"the raising of money for local improvements, but 
"the year Mr. Hine was on the Town Committee $4,- 
"000 was raised for street improvements and divided 
"between the five districts of River road, Washington 
"avenue. Back road, Bloomfield road and the cross 
"road in Woodside. Mr. Hine spent $600 in making 
"a gravel walk from the cemetery to Carteret street, 
"and gave the remaining $200 to General Cumming 
"for use on the Gully road. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 199 

"Our portion went to Soho (which appears to 
"have been then a part of Woodside). The others 
"stirred the ground a little, leaving the mud as deep 
"as ever." Woodside was an awful mud-hole in wet 
weather. 

The Town Committee met at night, usually in the 
house of Mr. Swinnerton, Town Clerk; none but the 
town officers attended these meetings. The two an- 
nual town meetings were held in a small hall on Wash- 
ington avenue, opposite the Morrison & Briggs car- 
penter shop; this hall burned later. Two or three 
informal meetings were held in a small carpenter shop 
standing in Mr. Swinnerton's yard, on the northeast 
corner of Elwood and Lincoln avenues (this was the 
first Morrison & Briggs shop). Here Woodside was 
given its present name. 

So far as can now be recalled the Town Commit- 
teemen were General Cumming, for the River road; 
Mr. Hine, for Washington avenue ; either Mr. Phillips 
or Mr. Faitoute, for Lincoln avenue; Charles Akers, 
for the Bloomfield road; "a fine, old Irish gentleman 
for Soho", and Joseph Dowling for the cross street. 
James S. Gamble was Treasurer. 

A WOODSIDE TRAGEDY. 
Possibly the only tragedy connected with Wood- 
side was the shooting of Albert D. Richardson on 
December 2, 1869. Mr. Richardson was a celebrated 
newspaper correspondent and an author of some note. 
He had traveled over a large part of the United States 



200 WOODSIDE. 

and had settled in Woodside because of its rural 
beauty, having purchased the house built by Miles 
I'Anson, which now stands on Summer avenue, facing 
Chester. 

A Mrs. McFarland, who was later known to litera- 
ture as Abbie Sage Richardson, and who came of a 
good Boston family, married Daniel McFarland, the 
black sheep of a prominent New York family, and, 
after supporting him for a reasonable length of time, 
she secured a divorce. Mr. Richardson assisted her 
in establishing herself, and about this time McFar- 
land, while under the influence of liquor, met him in 
the office of the Tribune and shot him down. Rich- 
ardson was removed to the Astor House and lived for 
a week. He was a widower with three young chil- 
dren and, desiring Mrs. McFarland to look after them, 
he married her while on his deathbed. 

WOODSIDE AND THE STREET CAR. 

From the beginning and up to comparatively re- 
cent times Woodside has been compelled to make a 
continuous fight for proper street car service. 

The first car track laid extended from the ceme- 
tery to Orange street, where it met the track which 
had been laid in 1862 from Market street. There was 
but one car, and that was pivoted on the trucks so 
that, a king bolt being drawn, the body of the car was 
swung around while the trucks remained on the track 
— this instead of reversing the horses to the other end 
of the car, as was done later. About 1865 the tracks 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 201 

were extended north through Woodside to Second 
river, to what was then known as "Flanigan's sta- 
tion", and for six years they went no further. 

It was many years before the Woodside section 
was treated as part of the main line, all sorts of bob- 
tail excuses being offered us. Cars would come as 
far as the "Pump" (cemetery), and there passengers 
could wait for the "bob-tail" or walk as they saw 
fit. There was no shelter against the winter's storm 
or shade from the summer sun. "Old Mose", who 
watered the horses at the pump, which stood just 
about where the Washington avenue sidewalk on the 
west now ends, was possessed of a movable bench 
which followed the shadows of the trees as the sun 
made its daily progress through the heavens, and this 
was the only spot whereon to rest our weary bones 
while waiting. Mose was a good natured old soul 
whom every one liked, and was as much of an institu- 
tion as was the old West-farm pump from which he 
drew the water for the horses. His "Now, William, 
let her propel", when it was time for a car to start, 
became a by-word. 

Naturally those living in Woodside were always 
grumbling at the poor car service furnished, and there 
was a constant fight with Mr. Battin, and later with 
Mr Barr, and many a delegation descended on the 
Board of Aldermen, and almost invariably its head 
and front was Mr. Hine who, while he loved peace, 
did not believe in peace at any price. The company's 



202 WOODSIDE. 

charter required that all cars should run to the city 
line (Second river), and Mr. Hine, with his wonted 
energy, at once inaugurated an active campaign by 
writing to the papers as well as stirring up the City 
Fathers, and by dint of his "sticktoitiveness", as he 
called it, he won his point and the octopus was forced 
to loose his tentacles and be subject to the law gov> 
eming its agreements. 

In this connection a friend writes concerning Mr. 
Hine: "I remember, of course, his prominence in our 
"town meetings and meetings after Woodside became 
"annexed to Newark. He was the best speaker by 
"far in our section, and better versed in parliamentary 
"rules, so that he kept the meetings in better order 
"than they would otherwise have been. He had a great 
"faculty of leading people to state their views, thus 
"getting a subject well ventilated and adding much 
"interest to a meeting. In consequence of his great 
"ability for speaking he was always chosen leader of 
"our citizens' delegations whether to the City Fathers 
''for better horse car facilities, or to the Erie Railroad 
"officials for improvements on that 'system'." 

NOTES ON MR. HINE'S CHARACTER. 

Mr. nine's character was of a grade not often met 
with. I was with him probably more than any one 
else, as for many years we came and went together 
morning and night and were closely associated during 
business hours, and I can in all truth say that never 
once have I heard him utter a word, even by implica> 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 20} 

tion, that could not have been uttered in any pres- 
ence, nor did I ever hear him gossip of his neighbors 
nor offer a criticism of any one not present except 
once, and that was so gentle that, had it come from 
another, it would have passed unnoticed. In this one 
case he referred to an erratic genius who played the 
church organ for many years, and who sorely tried 
his patience. 

But it must not be supposed that because of his 
gentle ways Mr. Hine could not fight. Nothing could 
stop him when a sense of duty impelled ; not even the 
fear of death — if he ever had any such fear. As an 
instance: When traveling for the Mtnai Insurance 
Company Mr. Hine, shortly after his marriage, and 
when a wife and baby were dependent on him, was 
sent to a town in Arkansas to establish an agency for 
the company, being instructed to select a certain man 
if he was found to qualify. 

They met and Mr. Hine, being satisfied, gave the 
man his commission as agent, but during the follow- 
ing evening he discovered that his new appointee had 
celebrated by getting drunk, and immediately con- 
cluded to take up the agency. Those acquainted with 
the man, however, insisted that he do nothing of the 
sort, stating that his agent was a fire eater, who would 
accept it as a personal insult and would shoot. 

Mr. Hine believed that only a coward carried arms 
and never did so himself, though he had been much 
in the Southwest and recognized the small value put 



204 WOODSIDE. ; 

on life (this was about 1857 or 8). However he saw 
what he believed was his duty and, while admitting 
later that he faced the man with considerable fear of 
the consequences, he did face him, and as briefly and 
with as little sting as possible, stated his reasons for 
withdrawing the commission. Strange to say the 
"fire-eater" acknowledged the justice of the move and 
expressed himself as sincerely sorry at the outcome. 
Only the highest class of courage can compel a man 
to face such a situation. 

I once by chance heard him tell an individual him- 
self that he was either a knave or a fool, but neither 
knew that the remark was overheard, and Mr. Hine 
never again spoke of the matter so far as I know. He 
could tell the man himself, if necessity demanded it, 
but would never speak of it to others. 

His contempt for money, except for the good it 
could be made to do, was genuine and deep seated. 
His charities, considering his limited income, were 
boundless, as evidenced by his check stubs after his 
death. An examination of these showed merely that 
the $50 or $100 had gone to "an old friend", or were 
marked with the one word "charity". While in many 
cases money thus handed out was ostensibly loaned, 
Mr. Hine early learned never to expect its return, and 
he was seldom disappointed. One of his pet aphor- 
isms, "gratitude is a lively sense of favors to come", 
was frequently applied to this situation. 

The fact that he was imposed on and defrauded by 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 205 

charity fakirs time and again never made any differ- 
ence; the next time he would take chances rather 
than run the risk of not helping where help was 
needed. He often said that "he could swallow any- 
ting he could get through his shirt collar", and his 
shirt collar was a mighty easy affair, as many "a 
friend in need" discovered. 

On the other hand, no matter how much it might 
curtail his income by antagonizing a customer, he 
would hit every head in sight if he thought it deserved 
it, and he knew how to hit — none better. He had a 
way of grasping a situation and clarifying its follies 
or crooked features that was at times merciless. 

As before stated, Mr. Hine's opportunities for 
school education were limited in his youth. On the 
other hand, his knowledge was almost universal. 
How he kept abreast of the times as he did was a 
mystery, even to his own family, for he had no time 
to read, beyond his morning and evening paper be- 
tween home and office. His evenings, when not filled 
with church matters, were largely taken up by those 
who were ever calling on him for help and who never 
went away without receiving the best he had to give, 
whether they were young or old, or the poorest of the 
poor. He would explain a matter to a child with as 
much courtesy and patience as to an adult. 

On one occasion when he was confined to the house 
with some slight indisposition a small girl appeared 
at the back door with a straggling bunch of field flow- 



206 WOODSIDE. 

ers in her hand and handed it in with the simple mes- 
sage, "Tell Mr. Hine that I love him". Hardly any- 
thing could have touched the recipient more deeply, 
and yet that small girl voiced a sentiment that was al- 
most universal among those who knew him best. 

Mr. Hine was as punctilious in doing for his own 
boys as for the church, and while he believed in mak- 
ing them earn those things they desired, that they 
might the more fully appreciate them, he always stood 
by his agreements, not only in letter but in spirit. 
His idea seems to have been to make the boy feel sat- 
isfied that he had been given a square deal. Possibly 
one or two small instances will do no harm here: — 

One of the boys once saw a velocipede in a New- 
ark store that he thought he wanted, and began to 
save his money for that purpose. As I recollect it, 
the machine was to cost $12. In the meantime the 
father saw one in New York for $10 that looked to 
him just as good, and told the youngster about it, 
and announced that he would bring it out. On arrival 
it proved to be a size or two smaller — a $10 size — and 
the boy was disappointed, but instead of telling him it 
was just as good, he seemed to get down to the lad's 
level and appreciate that it was a matter of impor- 
tance to him, and he made good without a hint of 
grumble at the extra trouble involved in taking the 
machine back and bringing out the larger one, and he 
paid the added $2 himself. He had said he could get 
one just as good for less money. He seemed to expect 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 20? 

no particular thanks, merely giving the impression 
that he was only doing what he had agreed to do. 

Mr. Hine's eldest was probably born with a streak 
of tar in his composition, for he has been an ancient 
mariner ever since I first knew him. No sooner was 
the boy large enough to run around a bit than he 
wanted a row boat on the river; but his father 
promptly responded to such a proposition with, "No, 
young man ; not until you can swim across the river", 
evidently in the belief that this was still some seasons 
off. But the lad wanted the boat, and the moment he 
could stand the temperature he was in the river, and 
generally several times a day (his mother never sus- 
pected how often), and by hard work and much per- 
sistence he managed to get the hang of the thing long 
before the summer was out, and one day announced 
that he could swim across the river and wanted the 
boat. 

Naturally his father was a bit incredulous, but 
they went to the water's edge, and while the elder 
hired a boat at the Point House, the son retired to 
the privacy of the Melius dock and stripped for the 
ordeal. His clothes were put in the boat and the two 
started, and you can be sure that the father kept close 
by in case of accident, but there was none, and the boy 
got across all right. Then his father asked if he 
could swim back, and he said he would try, and did. 

No sooner were his clothes on again than he said: 
"Now, can I have that boat?" and quite as promptly 



208 WOODSIDE. 

came the answer, "Yes; we will go down town now 
and get it". There was no quibbling or hesitation or 
delay, and no matter how the father may have felt in 
allowing his small son to have a boat, he had given 
his word and that settled it, and within the hour the 
lad was rowing up the river in his own boat, as proud 
as any small boy could be and without any idea of the 
situation except that both parties to the bargain had 
lived up to it. 

His methods of punishment were usually well 
fitted to the occasion. I still recall one instance with 
a clarity of vision that omits no detail. Mr. Hine was 
left in charge of the Winser premises during the ab- 
sence of that family in Europe and, during that por- 
tion of the year when "sling shots" are in vogue, a 
group of young highwaymen, of which the younger 
two hopefuls of the Hine family were members, 
thought it was fine fun to sling stones between the 
blinds of the Winser house, then vacant, and hear the 
glass smash. But one day Mr. Hine dscovered what 
was going on, and appointed himself a committee of 
one to investigate. He made no fuss whatever — ^just 
said we would have to replace the glass. It made no 
difference that others besides ourselves had helped in 
the mischief; if the others would help to pay for it 
that was all right, but none of his affair. Of course 
few of the other boys could see the thing from our 
point of view, and it took just about all of our little 
hoard, which had almost reached the point where we 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 209 

could purchase a greatly desired printing press, to 
pay for the damage. It was a cruel blow, but we 
never broke any more glass. 

Mr. Hine, just as a matter of course, did any little 
thing he could for friend or neighbor; it never oc- 
curred to him to hesitate when he saw the oppor- 
tunity. 

When the matter of a station agent was first being 
agitated for the Woodside stop on the Newark branch 
of the Erie, one who thought he wanted the job fixed 
up a petition and went to the depot one morning to 
secure the signatures of such commuters as he knew. 
Seeing Mr. Hine and hoping for his name to head the 
list, he offered the paper to him, asking that he sign 
it if he approved. After reading Mr. Hine not only 
signed, but himself took the paper to every man pres- 
ent and insisted that each one sign, responding to 
those who objected that they did not know the young 
man, that he did, and had known him almost all his 
life, and knew he was safe to indorse. The result was 
that twice as many signatures were secured from that 
group as were hoped for. It was a small thing, but 
the prompt and hearty way in which it was done 
made it a benediction, and that man still thinks of 
Mr. Hine with pleasure and likes to tell why. 

MRS. MARY HAZARD AVERY HINE. 
Mrs. Mary Hazard Avery Hine was born in 
Westport, Conn., January 29, 1821. Her parents re- 
moved to the West when she was a young woman, 



210 WOODSIDE. 

and she met Mr. Hine in St. Louis, Mo., and there 
married him. Mrs. Hine was educated in New Ha- 
ven, receiving the best schooling which that city could 
give a girl eighty odd years ago, and she grew up un- 
der favoring circumstances. She was a woman of fine 
mind and great breadth and strength of character, and 
a recognized leader. 

Mrs. Hine was the third president of the Y. W. C. 
A. of Newark, and remained at its head through the 
many trying years of its youth, and when it was a 
very different institution from the present and very 
differently managed. She was also for many years 
president of the New Jersey branch of the Women's 
Indian Association, and one of its most active mem- 
bers. 

Nearer home she organized and conducted a 
Zenana Mission Band which, in itself, would have 
been considered work enough by most women and, 
in addition, she carried on a large Bible class in the 
Sunday school — all this without interfering in the 
least with her household duties, which she was slow 
to delegate to others. 

THE ZENANA MISSION BAND. 

The Zenana Mission Band, which was started by 
Mrs. Hine, became quite an institution, with its bi- 
weekly meetings and annual fair, which were held in 
the home at 209 Washington avenue. Just when it 
was begun, or how, I am unable to state, but it was 
many years ago, and the meetings were only stopped 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 211 

when advancing years compelled Mrs. Hine to give 
up the responsibility. 

The meetings began early in the fall and lasted 
the day out. These continued until a fair was given 
during the following May or June, at which time the 
entire lower floor of the house was stripped of its 
furniture and devoted to the event. Tables and 
booths for the sale of all manner of articles, from em- 
broidery to ice cream, being erected in every avail- 
able corner. 

Mrs. Hine designed the embroidery patterns used 
and both she and Miss Avery, being expert with the 
needle, began the pieces and set the pace for the 
others, they having been brought up at a time when 
household duties and the finer uses of the needle were 
a part of every girl's education. Some of those with 
whom I have talked look on the educational value to 
those who came to these meetings as possibly the 
more important feature, believing that many of the 
young women who attended would never otherwise 
have had their taste and skill for such work developed, 
for the embroidery was most rich and elaborate, re- 
quiring exceedingly careful manipulation. 

When the fair fell on rainy times and the fancy 
goods did not go off as desired Miss Avery would take 
a bundle of the best to New York and there dispose 
of the articles among her friends, for just about so 
much money was wanted to send out to India each 
year, and if it did not come it must be gone after. 



212 WOODSIDE, 

MISS JANE A. AVERY. 

In this connection I cannot forbear from a brief 
word concerning Miss J. A. Avery, Mrs. Hine's sis- 
ter and aid in all good works. Miss Avery was one 
of the most lovable persons I have ever met, her self- 
sacrificing spirit and constant thought of others being 
most marked. And with a saintly spirit she had an 
attractive personality quite beyond the ordinary. 

She has been compared to a bit of delicate Sevres 
china, and possibly that is as good a comparison show- 
ing her daintiness as could be made, but Miss Avery 
was something more than merely attractive; her de- 
votion to any duty in hand was such that she never 
had a thought of fear, nor did she allow the discom- 
fort of pain to interfere. Before the day of trained 
nurses she was caring for an uncle — ^Judge Edward 
Avery of Massillon, Ohio — ^who required constant at- 
tention, and while so engaged the bones of one foot 
were crushed by the falling of a heavy iron. The 
doctor insisted that she must not stand on this foot, 
but this injunction she felt it was impossible to obey, 
and made that same doctor whittle out a thin board 
and bind it to the injured foot, and thus she hobbled 
about in constant pain, but giving the unremitting at- 
tention required by her patient. 

One who knew Miss Avery well for many years 
writes that she "was one of those rare characters whose 
"mission it is to bring comfort and cheer to their fel- 
**lows. She was one of those large natures of whom 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 213 

"Goethe says, 'They impress not by what they do, 
" 'but by what they are'. 

"Wherever she went she was welcome; she had 
"the remarkable faculty of seeing at a glance what 
"was needed, and without a word doing the right 
"thing, the wonderful gift of tact which, with a lov- 
"ing nature, makes the possessor a tower of strength. 
"So winning was her personality that she made friends 
"wherever she went, and always said laughingly that 
"she could travel all over Europe with only her 
"mother-tongue." 

It is impossible at this date to go into details con- 
cerning all those who were active during the early 
days of this period, but there are a few in regard to 
whom I have been able to secure some bits of in- 
formation. 

MR. HORACE H. NICHOLS. 

Mr. Horace H. Nichols was a man who left his 
impress on all those who came in contact with him. 
Mr. Nichols was a carpenter and builder in Newark 
before his removal to Woodside. He secured the con- 
tract for fencing the cemetery and that brought him 
this way, and the beauties of the country gave him 
a longing to turn farmer, and so he bought a consid- 
erable tract here in 1846, and in 1852 built the white 
house which still stands back from the road. Here 
he started the growing of fruit, and was very success- 
ful, as many of us can testify. 

Mr. Nichols had the character of a saint and. 



214 WOODSIDE. 

while not an aggressive man, was alwajrs ready "to 
dig down in his jeans" whenever the church called for 
help, and was ever looking for the opportunity to do 
his share — rather an unusual trait. 

REMINISCENCES OF MR HENRY J. WINSER 

Mr. Henry J. Winser was not with us during 
much of the very early period, owing to his appoint- 
ment as consul at Sonneberg, Germany, during the 
eight years when Grant was President, and also 
through the term of President Hayes, and he had little 
oportunity for local activity. 

Mr. Winser's earliest experience in the War of the 
Rebellion was as military secretary (with the rank of 
first lieutenant) to Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth, whose 
blood was the first shed in the war. 

The friendship with Ellsworth began in 1855 when 
he came to New York, a youth of seventeen, from his 
home in Saratoga County, hoping to be appointed as 
cadet to West Point. In this, however, he was disap- 
pointed, as the politicians desired the places for their 
friends' sons. 

He then began the study of law in Chicago, but 
also kept up his study of the art of war and, becom- 
ing impressed with the tactics of the French Zouaves 
during the Crimean War, and being well known in 
military circles in Chicago, it was an easy matter for 
him to form a company. This was organized as the 
Ellsworth Zouaves, and was composed of the flower 
of the youth of Chicago. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 215 

The fame of the "Chicago Zouaves" had become 
so widespread that a year or two before the war Ells- 
worth was asked to bring his men East, and so great 
was the enthusiasm over their exhibition that Colonel 
Ellsworth's methods were soon widely copied. 

At the time of Mr. Lincoln's election to the 
Presidency Ellsworth was employed in his law office. 
He accompanied him to Washington and remained 
near the President during the unsettled period 
which followed the inauguration. He was among the 
first to obtain a military commission from President 
Lincoln, and was sent to New York with instructions 
to form a regiment from the ranks of the Volunteer 
Fire Department of the city in the shortest possible 
time. 

Mr. Winser was impressed into the service on this 
occasion. In a very short time Ellsworth had twelve- 
hundred men enlisted and mustered into the service 
of the United States under the call for three months' 
volunteers, and in the extraordinarily brief period of 
three weeks from the time he arrived in New York he 
marched at the head of a thousand well-equipped men 
to the steamship at the foot of Canal street. On 
reaching Washington this body of raw recruits was 
at first given quarters in the Capitol building, owing 
to lack of camp equipage. 

There were many anomalous things connected 
with the organization of the volunteer forces in the 
early stages of the war, and not the least anomalous 



216 WOODSIDE. 

was the fact that Ellsworth appointed Mr. Winser his 
military secretary, with the rank and uniform of first 
lieutenant. 

The advance into Virginia had been determined 
upon and instructions were given to embark at two 
o'clock in the morning for Alexandria. Ellsworth then 
entered the tent which he and Mr. Winser shared and 
asked the latter to get some sleep while he finished his 
final arrangements. Then it was that he wrote that 
brief, but pathetic letter to his parents which drew 
tears from many unaccustomed eyes after it was pub- 
lished. The letter is in an old scrapbook of Mr. 
Winser's, and reads as follows: — 

"Headquarters First Zouaves, 
"Camp Lincoln, Washington, May 23, 1861. 
"My dear Father and Mother: — 

"The regiment is ordered to move across the river 
"to-night. We have no means of knowing what re- 
"ception we shall meet with. I am inclined to the 
"opinion that our entrance to the city of Alexandria 
"will be hotly contested, as I am just informed that a 
"large force has arrived there to-day. Should this 
"happen, my dear parents, it may be my lot to be in- 
"jured in some manner. Whatever may happen, cher- 
"ish the consolation that I was engaged in the 
"performance of a sacred duty, and to-night, thinking 
"over the probabilities of the morrow and the occur- 
"rences of the past, I am perfectly content to accept 
"whatever my fortune may be, confident that He who 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 217 

"noteth the fall of a sparrow will have some purpose 
"even in the fate of one like me. My darling and ever- 
gloved parents, good-bye. God bless, protect and care 
"for you. ELMER." 

Just as daylight was breaking on the morning of 
the twenty-fourth of May, the steamers carrying the 
Ellsworth Zouaves arrived at Alexandria. The com- 
mander of the sloop-of-war Pawnee, which lay off 
Alexandria, had already proposed terms of submission 
which had been accepted by the city, and it was sup- 
posed that there would be no resistance to the occu- 
pation of the town. 

The following is Mr. Winser's account of what oc- 
curred : — 

"Ellsworth was the first to land, and then Company 
'E, Captain Leveridge, formed upon the wharf. With- 
*out waiting for the remainder of the regiment to dis- 
'embark the Colonel gave some hurried instructions 
'for interrupting the railroad communication and, 
'calling to me, said: 'Winser, come with me to the 
' 'telegraph office. It is important to cut the wires.* 
'Mr. E. H. House, correspondent of the New York 
'Tribune, had accompanied the expedition, and he and 
'the Rev. E. W. Dodge, chaplain of the regiment, who 
'were standing near, asked if they might go with us. 
'We had gone only a few paces when I suggested to 
'Ellsworth that perhaps it would be well to take a 
'squad of men as an escort. He assented at once and 
*I soon overtook him with a sergeant and four men 



218 WOODSIDE. 

"from Company A. We ran up the street for about 
"two blocks on a double-quick in the supposed direc- 
"tion of the telegraph office, meeting a few sleepy- 
"looking people on the way. The Colonel at this mo- 
"ment caught sight of a large Confederate flag which 
"had just been raised above the roof of a building ap- 
"parently two or three blocks distant to the left. He 
"at once said: 'Boys, we must have that flag!* and 
"told the sergeant to go back and tell Captain Coyle 
"to follow us with his entire company. 

"Not heeding the mission to the telegraph office 
"for the moment, we pushed on toward the building 
"with the flag flying over it and found it was the 
"Marshall House, an hotel of second-class grade. As 
"we rushed into the open door the Colonel called out 
"to a man in shirt and trousers who was entering the 
"hallway from the opposite side: 'What flag is that 
"over the roof?' The fellow looked neither surpised 
"nor alarmed at the irruption of armed men, and an- 
"swered, doggedly as I thought: 'I don't know any- 
"thing about it ; I am only a boarder here.* Without 
"further parley the Colonel ran up the long winding 
"stairway to the topmost story, the rest of us follow- 
"ing closely. It did not take long to find the attic 
"room, whence opened a skylight with the flagstaff 
"within easy reach, and the large flag was soon upon 
"our heads. 

"I passed it down to the men below, and as I got 
"off the ladder I saw the Zouaves tearing off pieces as 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 219 

"mementoes of the exploit. This I stopped, saying 
"that the flag must not be mutilated, but must be pre- 
"served as a trophy. The entire occurrence could 
"not have occupied more than a couple of minutes. I 
"was busy rolling the long flag over my arm when 
"Ellsworth turned to the stairway holding one end of 
"the flag. He was preceded by Private Francis E. 
"Brownell, of Company A. Mr. House and Chaplain 
"Dodge were close beside him, and I was a few steps 
"behind, still rolling the flag on my arm as compactly 
"as possible. There were two men in the attic room 
"whom we had not noticed at first in our eagerness to 
"get down the flag. They arose in great bewilderment 
"to witness our deed and were almost fully dressed. 
"They had, however, no connection with the tragic 
"event. 

"In the order I have mentioned we began our de- 
"sccnt of the broad, winding stairway. My attention 
"was too much occupied in managing the bulky flag to 
"know by actual observation precisely what hap- 
"pened in the first instant of the lamentable tragedy. 
"I heard the clash of weapons and at the same mo- 
"ment the report of two guns, with so imperceptible 
"an interval between that it might have been taken 
"for a single shot. I saw Ellsworth fall forward at 
"the foot of the first flight of stairs, and I saw Brown- 
"ell standing on the landing near the turn to the sec- 
"ond flight, make a thrust with his bayonet at the tot- 
"tering form of a man which fell headlong down half 
"the second flight of stairs. No explanation of what 



220 WOODSIDE. 

"had happened was needed. As Brownell reached the 
"first landing place, after the descent of a dozen steps, 
"a man rushed out and, without noticing the private 
"soldier, leveled a double-barreled gun squarely at 
"Ellsworth's breast, Brownell said that he made a 
"quick pass to turn the gun aside, but was not suc- 
"cessful, and the contents of both barrels, slugs or 
"buckshot, entered the Colonel's heart, killing him in- 
"stantly. He was on the third step above the landing 
"when he received the shot, and he fell forward in 
"that helpless, heavy manner which showed that every 
"spark of life had left his body ere he reached the 
"floor. The murderer's fingers had scarcely pressed 
"the triggers of his weapon when Brownell's rifle was 
"discharged full in the centre of his face, and as he 
"staggered to his fall the shot was followed by a bayonet 
"thrust of such force that it sent the man backward 
"down the upper section of the second flight of stairs, 
"where he lay for hours afterward with his face to 
"the floor and his rifle beneath him. This man proved 
"to be James T. Jackson proprietor of the Marshall 
"House, and I fully recognized him as the person we 
"had met as we entered the house. 

"We were dazed for a few seconds at the shocking 
"calamity, but we rallied, not knowing how soon we 
"should be called upon to defend our own lives. There 
"were only seven of us, and Mr. House was unarmed. 
"The noise and confusion of the last few moments 
"had aroused the sleepy household, and we saw that 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 221 

"in point of numbers we were in a small minority. I 
"stationed the three Zouaves at points commanding 
"the approaches to the passages converging on the 
"stairway where we stood, and directed that the first 
"man who showed himself in the passages should be 
"shot down. The occupants of the rooms in our im- 
"mediate vicinity were gathered together in a single 
"apartment and Brownell, who had reloaded his rifle, 
"was placed as guard over them with instructions to 
"shoot the first man who should evince a hostile dis- 
"position. The Chaplain and I searched the story 
"above, finding only the two men whom I have before 
"mentioned as being in the attic room when the flag 
"was cut down; these we led down and put in 
"Brownell's custody. Mr. House, meanwhile, had 
"kept watch that no one approached us from the story 
"below. These defensive measures were only the 
"work of a minute or two. 

"We next turned our attention to our dear friend, 
"the Colonel, whose life-blood had literally deluged 
"the hedlway. If we had not been too sadly sure that 
"he was beyond the reach of any aid we could offer 
"there would not have been even the slight delay there 
"was ere we raised him from the floor. Mr. House and 
"I lifted him up tenderly and laid him upon the bed in 
"a room that was vacant. His uniform was so 
"drenched with blood that it was almost impossible 
"to discover the exact location of his wound. Un- 
"fastening his belt and unbuttoning his coat we found 



222 WOODSIDE. 

"that the murderous charge had penetrated his left 
"breast, taking into the wound much of the clothing, 
"making a cavity almost large enough to insert a 
"clenched hand. Poor fellow! We washed the stains 
"from his face, which was beautiful in death — the ex- 
"pression of the handsome features not at all changed, 
"except by the pallor, from that which his friends 
"knew so well in life, and we composed his body, over 
"which we laid the Confederate flag which had so long 
"waved in defiance within sight of the White House, 
"feeling that its use in this way purified it." 

The sword which Ellsworth wore at the time 
of his murder was given to Mr. Winser and is still in 
the possession of the family. 

Mr. Winser was at the battle of Cold Harbor and 
had his horse shot under him. After the battle, during 
the night, a rifle ball lodged in the tent pole directly 
over his head, so low down that it must almost have 
passed through his hair, but so exhausted was he that 
he was all unconscious that death had been so near. 
During the Draft Riots in New York, in July, 1863, 
Mr. Winser was in command of the battery which 
protected Printing House Square. He also did ef- 
fective work in communicating with the authorities on 
Governor's Island, and although he was a marked 
man owing to his connection with the New York 
Times, he went fearlessly about the city looking after 
his friends in the sections where a reign of terror had 
set in. 



C. C. KINE AND HIS TIMES. 223 

Mr. Winser was once made prisoner of war by 
Gen. Thomas W. Sherman, who was in command at 
Beaufort, S. C. Mr. Winser had criticised his methods 
in a letter to the Times. This so angered the General 
that he caused his arrest, sending him on board the 
Arago, which was just leaving for New York, without 
permitting him to communicate with any of his 
friends. The publication of the affair resulted in Mr. 
Winser's reinstatement at headquarters in South 
Carolina. 

Mr. Winser was with Farragut at New Orleans, as 
a representative of the Times. In those days the 
means of communication were exceedingly slow, and 
Mr. Winser, recognizing the value to his paper of 
such a "scoop" as the first news of this important 
event would be, rowed down the Mississippi from 
Fort Jackson to the Gulf, where he found a schooner 
bound for Key West. This he boarded, and reached 
his destination a few hours ahead of the steamer from 
Havana, Cuba, which touched here for mail and pas- 
sengers on its way to New York. 

Thus the New York Times had an account of the 
bombardment and surrender of Forts Jackson and 
Phillip three days in advance of any other journal. 
This was considered the greatest "beat" ever known 
in the history of journalism. It was not only the 
means of giving the news to the country, but was 
also the first intimation that the government itself re- 
ceived of the success of the fleet. Mr. Winser re- 
turned to New Orleans and was there during the But- 



224 WOODSIDE. 

ler regime and chronicled the General's achievements 
for his paper. 

Mr. Winser was also present at the meeting of 
Grant and Lee under the famous apple tree to arrange 
for the surrender of the Confederate Army. 

He was one of the commissioners for the exchange 
of prisoners from Andersonville, and his reports of the 
condition of the men were most harrowing. 

When the famous Butler-Porter controversy oc- 
curred in 1889, it was Mr. Winser who was able to 
prove that Butler's charges against Porter were un- 
true. 

When Mr. Winser sent his report of Farragut's 
passage of the forts below New Orleans (as narrated 
elsewhere), fearing there might be a miscarriage, he 
wrote a second account which was forwarded by the 
same steamer that carried the letters of other newspa- 
per correspondents. This latter manuscript was re- 
turned to him and hence, when Admiral Porter wrote, 
asking him if he remembered the circumstances of the 
sudden order from Captain Porter to the flotilla to 
cease firing and return, Mr. Winser was able to give a 
transcript of the affair from his manuscript letter. 

It was a great grief to Mr. Winser that General 
Butler should have placed himself in so unpleasant a 
position, for he had valued him as a friend and sol- 
dier, and was most reluctantly brought into the con- 
troversy. 

When he settled in Woodside Mr. Winser was city 




WOODSIDE AS GOD MADE IT 



Picture taken about 1885 from a Washington Avenue backyard. Looking south 
across the tields toward the Passaic 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 225 

editor of the Times and was deep in the investigation 
of the Tweed Ring. This work was so exacting that 
he had no time even to attend to his own private af- 
fairs, and paid Uttle attention to Woodside politics, 
except in one instance. 

During the first year of Woodside's independence 
there were no politics; no salaries attached to any of 
the offices, and consequently the good men were al- 
lowed to fill them. But by the time the second annual 
election approached there were a few soreheads who 
joined themselves unto the scattering Democrats and 
the house was divided against itself. 

This necessitated some electioneering, which was 
undertaken by Mr. Winser and Mr. Theodore G. 
Palmer, who went the rounds of the district canvass- 
ing for votes. The result was overwhelmingly Re- 
publican and eminently satisfactory. 

Mr. Winser broke down in January, 1869, and was 
told by the doctors that he must stop night work. 
He was advised by a friend to apply to General Grant 
for a consular position, and Sonneberg was suggested 
for its beauty of location and the wide field it offered 
for consular and other work, as it was the largest con- 
sulate in Germany. 

Mr. H. J. Raymond, of the New York Times, was 
bitterly opposed to this and refused to help in any 
way, declining even to write introductions to his po- 
litical friends in Washington or to request their aid 
in the appointment. Mr. R. said: "I do not want 



226 WOODSIDE. 

you to leave the Times and I shall in no way help you 
in your desire." 

But after Grant's inauguration Mr. Winser wrote, 
asking for the Sonneberg post, and his was the first 
appointment made after March 4, 1869. 

Secretary of State Hamilton Fish was a friend of 
Dr. Cox, father-in-law of Mr. Winser, and knew his 
(Mr. Winser's) record as a journalist, and this doubt- 
less was a help. Mr. Winser's appointment was re- 
garded as most remarkable, in that politics and 
pressure had nothing to do with it. Grant made it 
because he was a personal friend and the State De- 
partment probably sanctioned it because, in the ap- 
plication, Mr. W. said that he spoke three languages 
and referred to his Times editorials upon political 
matters. 

While consul at Sonneberg Mr. Winser was ap- 
pointed by the United States Government, Commis- 
sioner to the World's Fair at Vienna in 1873. 

When Mr. Winser returned from Sonneberg in 
1873, intending to resign, Mr. Fish urged him to re- 
consider his decision and return to his post to go on 
with the work he had done for the government. 

Mr. Winser was the first American officer to look 
into the emigration from Germany. He stopped the 
deportation of criminals from Germany to this coun- 
try. He was the first man to study the forestry sys- 
tem in Germany, the consulate being in the centre of 
the forestry department of the country. Knowing the 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 227 

language thoroughly and being persona grata in high 
official circles he had access to all departments. 

He wrote a most exhaustive report on the "Forests 
and Forest Culture of Thuringia", which was sent to 
the State Department on November 28, 1873, and is 
in the "Commercial Relations" of 1873. So valuable 
was this report deemed by the State Department that 
it was printed as a separate pamphlet and sent to 
every newspaper in the country. In his report Mr. 
W. urged upon this country the necessity of cultivat- 
ing and preserving its forests, as the time would come 
when care would be needed for their conservation 
from an economic point of view, for the supply of 
timber and for the effect they produced upon the 
climate, rainfall, etc. 

The press of this country, one and all, hailed the 
report with derision, it being regarded as ridiculous 
that this great country with its primeval forests and 
its vast area of timber land could ever be depleted. 
Even the Times feared that Mr. Winser's four years* 
residence in a little country like Germany had 
dwarfed his ideas. 

Twenty years later when the country became 
alarmed concerning the fearful devastation then go> 
ing on throughout its forests men were rushed to 
Germany to learn its art of forestry. 

Mr. Winser sent the government the first transla- 
tion of the new German tariff. It was received from 
the Coburg Minister of State within an hour after 



228 WOODSIDE. 

he received it from the Imperial Government, and 
permission to keep it for twenty-four hours was 
given. At 9 a. m. Mr. and Mrs. W. sat down, after 
giving directions that they were not to be disturbed, 
and at 8 p. m. the work was finished, they dividing 
the pamphlet book in half and each working inde- 
pendently of the other. This feat created a sensation 
at the State Department and at the Consulate General 
at Frankfort. Mr. Winser had taken the precaution 
to notify the State Department that the voluminous 
matter had left Coburg on a certain date. He also 
wrote the Consul General, through whose office all 
documents were forwarded, that he had done this, so 
that no detention could be possible on the way. It 
was a fortunate thing that this was done, as the Con- 
sul General wrote he was sorry that he could not 
keep the document for a few days that he might get 
"some points". He wanted to know how it was pos- 
sible for Mr. W. to obtain the law before it had been 
given to the public. 

Mr. Winser also sent the first translation of the 
new laws concerning the Rinderpest to the govern- 
ment. 

On Mr. Winser's return from Germany he was ap- 
pointed, by Mr. Henry Villard, Chief of the Bureau of 
Information of the Northern Pacific Railway. In this 
capacity he inspected all the coimtry tributary to the 
railroad, writing many pamphlets on the resources of 
the far West. He also wrote concerning the Yellow- 
stone Park and its wonders. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 229 

He was in charge of the foreign guests at the cele- 
bration of driving the last spike of the railroad. Later 
he became assistant editor of the Commercial Adver- 
tiser, and then became managing editor of the Newark 
Daily Advertiser. Just before his death he prepared 
the history of Trinity Church, Newark, on the oc- 
casion of the sesqui-centennial celebration. For nine 
years he was clerk of the vestry. 

Mr. Winser was one of the charter members of the 
"Monks of the Passaic", a literary organization affili- 
ated with the "Monks of the Meerschaum" in Philadel- 
phia. 

Mr. Winser, Mr. Noah Brooks and Prof. Byron 
Matthews organized "The Wednesday Club", which 
has become one of the best-known literary clubs of 
Newark. He was a life member of the New Jersey 
Historical Society. 

Mr. Winser's church and other connections in 
Woodside are referred to elsewhere. 

MR. JAMES SWINNERTON. 

Mr. James Swinnerton, to whom I owe more 
than to any other one man for material covering this 
period, was a member of Swinnerton Bros., manufac- 
turing jewelers in Newark. He removed to Wood- 
side in 1866, being one of the very first of the new 
element. 

Mr. Swinnerton immediately assumed a promi- 
nent place in the community, being town clerk during 
both the years of local independence and taking a fore- 



230 W00D5IDE. 

most position in church and Sunday school develop- 
ment. So well satisfied were the voters with his work 
as town clerk that when the second annual election 
was held, and an opposition ticket was put in the 
field, he received 185 of the 193 votes cast for that 
office. 

Mr. Swinnerton has a natural antiquarian bent 
and, as a consequence, has preserved many memorials 
and a \nvid memorj' of the past, and such of these as 
relate to Woodside he has freely put at my disposal, 
throwing light into many a dark comer, 

MR. ALBERT BEACH. 

Mr. Albert Beach was bom in Newark and moved 
to the Bartholf farm on the old Bloomfield road about 
1865, He was a kindly man and had a number of boys 
who were alwajrs ready to help along any mischief in 
which we were interested, and as Mr. Beach himself 
was much interested in the church we were quite 
neighborly, boy and man. And then all bo>'s appreci- 
ated Mrs. Beach, who was one of those who sensed 
the fact that a boy's heart lay nest his stomach, and 
who immediately established close relations with 
both. The Beach house was ovemm with boys a 
goodly portion of the time, and they were not all 
Beach bovs, either, 

GEN. GILBERT W. GUMMING. 

General Gilbert W. Gumming lived on the River 
road in the old Stimis house The General's prop- 
erty came down to the swamp where we bo}*s learned 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 231 

to skate, and his rail fence was a great temptation 
when a fire was wanted, which was mostly all the 
time. It is still well remembered how, on such occa- 
sions he would come charging down the hill "spitting 
blue sparks". The General's habit of language was ac- 
quired in the army, apparently, and it generally 
sounded as though the army was in Flanders at the 
time; certainly it was of the p5M:otechnic order, and 
no one could well blame him with such an inciting 
firebrand as his rail fence became. He was a thor- 
oughly good man, however, and while he had the 
reputation of being somewhat crusty and quick tem- 
pered, he could be quite genial when all things 
worked together for peace. "He was an old-fashioned 
lawyer of the Abe Lincoln school." 

The General was born March 12, 18 17, of Scotch 
parents, at Stamford, N, Y. He was admitted to the 
bar in New York, but removed to Chicago in 1858. 
When the Civil War broke out he offered his services 
and was appointed Colonel of the 51st Illinois Volun- 
teers, which he was largely instrumental in raising. 

Under General Pope he participated in the battle 
of New Madrid, Mo., and while in charge of a brigade 
on the way to Tiptonville his capture of Island No. 
10 against great odds brought him prominently to the 
front. For this he was made a brigadier-general for 
"gallant and meritorious services at Island No. 10". 

Proceeding to Tiptonville he assisted in the capture 
of 6,000 Southern soldiers and later took part with his 



232 WOODSIDE. 

brigade in the attack on Fort Pillow. He was also at 
Corinth and Shiloh and was brought home from the 
latter on a cot, his breakdown being due to hard work 
and exposure. During a long rainy period he re- 
garded himself as fortunate if he had a brush heap to 
sleep on, such a thing as a tent or any form of shelter 
being out of the question. He never fully recovered 
from a mild form of paralysis induced by these hard- 
ships. 

During one period of his service he was placed as a 
guard over a Southern home occupied by its mistress. 
The General applied to her for permission to sleep on 
the porch of the house, but she promptly respHDnded 
that no '"Yankee" could sleep on her porch, and he 
was compelled to wait until all were asleep before he 
could venture to seek its shelter. Being a polite man, 
the General did not fail to thank the lady on the fol- 
lowing morning. 

He used to tell how the Yankees, after stewing 
their coffee again and again until there was nothing 
left to extract, would sell the grounds to their oppo- 
nents for a dollar a poimd- Johnny Reb must have 
been in straits for coffee. 

In spite of all he went through the General was a 
strong temperance man, never drinking liquor, even 
in the army, where good drinking water was often 
impossible to nnd. The General was always to be 
found on the side of law and order and was the one 
to whom Mr. Hine went in the early dajrs of Wood- 
side to stop the Sunday horse cars. Ideas have 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 233 

changed greatly during the past forty years in regard 
to the observance of the Sabbath, and it may seem 
strange to some that a serious effort was once made 
to disconnect this rural settlement from the rest of 
the world on that day, but such is the fact. The 
General did get out an injunction and the peace of 
the neighborhood was complete for a time, but the 
street car people, as usual, had their way in the end. 

MR. JOHN MORRIS PHILLIPS. 

Mr. John Morris Phillips belonged to that gen- 
eration which was the last to be born in the old farm 
house now standing on Summer avenue, and he ap- 
pears to have been the first to break away from the 
traditions of the farm. 

Mr. Phillips was bom November 4, 181 7, and 
early showed an inclination for mechanics. He was 
apprenticed to the pattern making business under Mr. 
Horace T. Poinier, and later found employment under 
the noted Seth Boyden; afterward he worked for the 
West Point foundry and from there came to the Nov- 
elty Iron Works, New York City, and all this time 
was learning and perfecting himself in every detail 
for future activity. His memory was so phenomenal 
that when he had examined a piece of mechanism its 
details never passed from his mind, and he could 
duplicate it without again referring to the original. 
This, of course, was a tremendous help in after life. 

In the fall of 1845 the Hewes & Phillips Iron 
Works were started in a small way at 60 Vesey 



234 WOODSIDE. 

Street, New York, but the following year the business 
was moved to Newark. The concern grew rapidly to 
large proportions, and by the time the Civil War broke 
out was one of the foremost establishments of the 
kind in the country and during the war it did an im- 
mense amount of work for the government. 

All the turret machinery for the first "Monitor" — 
the one which saved the day in Hampton Roads — was 
made here, as was that for the five succeeding moni- 
tors including the Modoc, Cohoes, etc. That the 
Monitor's machinery was well made the action at 
Hampton Roads amply proved. 

Over 200,000 stand of arms were manufactured at 
the Hewes & Phillips Works, and here the govern- 
ment also sent 12,000 flint-lock muskets to be mod- 
ernized. These, it is said, were part of a gift to the 
country made during the Revolution by LaFayette, 
which had not been used at that time. 

Mr. James E. Coombes, an expert on American 
military small arms, writes that Hewes & Phillips did 
alter a number of flint-lock muskets to percussion, but 
he doubts if they were such obsolete weapons as those 
brought over by LaFayette. Mr. Coombes says: "It 
was the policy of the government to use only the later 
models of flint-locks for this purpose, as there was a 
vast quantity of them on hand. I have seen a num- 
ber of these guns. They were stamped *H & P' on 
the nipple lug — in fact, have two in my collection, 
but they are all late models." 

Mr. Coombes's opinion is accepted by military au- 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 235 

thorities generally, but in spite of this I am inclined 
to think that the story is correct, because it appears 
to have come so straight from Mr. John M. Phillips 
himself. 

Hewes & Phillips also altered 8,000 flint-locks for 
the state of New Jersey, asking nothing more in re- 
turn from the state than the actual expense of the 
work. The machinery for the first Holland submarine 
was made here during the Civil War. 

Owing to threats made by Copperheads during 
the latter part of the war that the factory would be 
destroyed, the place was guarded day and night by a 
company of infantry. At that time Mr. Phillips lived 
on Bridge street and his back yard adjoined the ma- 
chine works, and he could step from his house to his 
shop without exposing himself to possible danger 
from the disaffected element. 

Of the seventy boys and men who went out from 
this factory to enlist in the army every one came 
back, and not one received a scratch to show for his 
service. All apprentices who enlisted before their 
time was up were put to work on their return at jour- 
neymen's wages, while serving the remainder of their 
time as apprentices. Thus did the firm at its own ex- 
pense recognize the services rendered by these young 
men to their country. 

That Mr. Phillips was a broad-minded and far- 
seeing man is not alone proven by the business 
foundation he laid, but also by the monument he left 



236 WOODSIDE. 

in beautifully embowered Lincoln avenue. His love 
for trees was almost as great as for human beings, 
and because of this Lincoln avenue is to-day as beau- 
tiful as is the traditional New England village green. 

When the city saw fit to improve Lincoln avenue 
it did so by cutting down all its shade trees and 
transforming it into a dreary desolation. Mr. Phil- 
lips had in front of his house a row of cherry trees 
which were his pride and admiration and were also, 
alas, a source of considerable friction between him- 
self and the neighborhood small boy, for the boys 
found it comparatively easy to adapt themselves to the 
Phillips cherries. I believe that their owner finally dis- 
covered that a generous coat of fresh tar on the tree 
trunks was as good a small boy preventive as it is in 
the case of certain insects. There is a tale of an ex- 
pressman who took one of these tarred tree trunks to 
his bosom before he discovered the error of his ways, 
and the manner in which he blessed his tarry top- 
lights — so to speak — is one of the traditions of the 
neighborhood. 

These cherry trees went with the rest, and when 
the destruction had been so complete that there was 
no further job for the contractor-friend of the poli- 
ticians that functionary went elsewhere. Then Mr. 
Phillips called on his neighbors in an effort to enlist 
them in a plan to rehabilitate their street by the 
planting of trees but, finding most of them indiffer- 
ent, he planted trees on both sides of the way, from 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 237 

the cemetery to Phillips Park, a double row one-half 
mile long, and it is these trees which to-day shelter 
the avenue from the summer's sun. The trees were 
procured from a nursery on his own property located 
about where Delavan ends in Summer avenue. 

MR. DAVID MACLURE. 

"The memory of him is sweet and pleasant", more 
than one of his former scholars testifies. Mr. Maclure 
is a round peg in a round hole, although he happened 
into his present line of work in rather an accidental 
manner. 

He was the first clerk that the Prudential Insur- 
ance Company ever employed, but earning his bread 
and butter by such uncongenial drudgery soon 
wearied him, and he gave up the position with the 
idea of turning to art or to the ministry for his life 
work; but while in this somewhat uncertain state of 
mind the fates decided otherwise. 

At this time he was living at the home of his par- 
ents on Lincoln avenue, and, when it was learned that 
the school at Montgomery was closed for lack of a 
teacher, a friend fairly pushed him into the oppor- 
tunity thus opened. He shortly became popular with 
old and young, and fitted so snugly into the position 
that vaulting ambition has never since troubled him. 

From the Montgomery school he came to the Elliott 
Street School in Woodside, was next transferred to 
the Eighth Ward School, and from there to the 
Chestnut Street School, where he has been principal 



238 WOODSIDE. 

for many years. Mr. Maclure has a way of making 
study attractive to children and stimulating them to 
strive the more to reach that promised land which he 
pictures so pleasantly — that those who have once 
been his scholars remember the days spent under his 
care with unmixed pleasure. "Beyond the Alps lies 
Italy", is the way he sometimes put it to them. 

The following verse is not offered as an evidence 
of Mr. Maclure's literary skill, but rather to show the 
personal interest which he takes in the children, and as 
one of the many ways in which he attaches them to 
him: — 

"To Annie E. Bennett, March 27, 1883. 

" 'Dear Anna, on your natal day, 
A word of wisdom let me say: 
Grow up, my blithe and little lass, 
So that, as years and seasons pass, 
You'll still be found as pure and good 
As on this day of bright childhood. 
Remember this, my little maid. 
That youth and beauty soon will fade; 
But truth and honor ne'er decay. 
But live to bless life's closing day.' 

"Written expressly for you on your eleventh birth- 
day by your friend and teacher, 

"David Maclure." 

Mr. Maclure is a many-sided man: A painter of 
pictures — good pictures — a writer of books and maga- 
zine articles, and a designer and maker of fine furni- 
ture. His home is full of his handiwork, which is the 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 239 

more to be praised because "the kitchen is his work- 
shop". 

A book of poems entitled "Thoughts on Life", and 
two novels, "David Todd" and "Kennedy of Glen 
Haugh", have brought him fame in the literary world, 
and he is also the author of several school text-books. 

COL. SAMUEL L. BUCK. 

Col. Samuel L. Buck, according to the dry records 
of the Adjutant-General's office at Trenton, was com- 
missioned Major in the Second Regiment, Infantry, 
New Jersey Volunteers, on the twenty-second day of 
May, 1 86 1, and was mustered into the United States 
service as such for the period of three years. He 
was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel January 20, 1862; 
Colonel, July i, 1862; and was honorably discharged 
July 21, 1864, during the War of the Rebellion. The 
official record goes no further. 

He was at Chickahominy June 27, 1862, when of 
the twenty-eight hundred men in the Second Regi- 
ment only nine hundred and sixty-five answered at 
roll-call the following day. He commanded the regfi- 
ment at Crampton's Gap, where it met Longstreet. 
He was wounded at Chancellorsville, and was in many 
engagements. 

The Colonel delivered a lecture on his recollections 
of army life in the Woodside Presbyterian Church, 
April 3, 1879, which was later published in pamphlet 
form, but he was so extremely modest as regards his 
own part in the fighting that it furnishes no data for 



240 WOODSIDE. 

my purpose. Many recall that he had a fine record 
for bravery and efficiency, but I have found no one 
who could tell the story. 

MR. DANIEL F. TOMPKINS. 

Mr. Daniel F. Tompkins was an antiquarian 
whose researches brought to light and preserved 
much that was interesting concerning the local his- 
tory of Woodside. He discovered a number of Revo- 
lutionary relics in the "Anthony Wayne camp 
ground" west of Summer avenue in the Carteret 
street neighborhood and his inquiries among the old 
inhabitants resulted in the preservation of valuable 
and interesting matter that would otherwise have 
been lost. 

Mr. Tompkins was a somewhat eccentric man and 
had some rather odd fads — possibly the best known of 
which was his large flock of goats, which was a 
prominent feature of the Washington avenue land- 
scape for many years. Another, which was possibly 
not so well known, was a fondness for choice toilet 
soaps, of which he is said to have kept a large quan- 
tity in his house. We all know that cleanliness is 
next to Godliness. 

That he was public spirited and alive to the value 
of a park system there is no doubt, in fact he might 
almost be called the father of the Essex County park 
system of to-day. Mr. Tompkins owned property 
around the Boiling Spring, which has been a bound- 
ary mark from time immemorial and one of the cor- 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 241 

nets of Woodside, and he was the first to suggest a 
park in that region, offering to give his land if the 
city would purchase more and make the whole into 
a public park, and while his offer was not taken, there 
is little doubt but that he helped to start the agitation 
which resulted in the present system of breathing 
places for the people. 

JOHN F. DRYDEN. 

The history of the man who has made a success of 
this life is always interesting. Starting with nothing 
but a willingness to work and an ability to think and 
having faith enough in himself and his ideas to hold to 
his purpose through all set-backs and discouragements, 
he is reasonably sure to reach the top. 

When or where Mr. Dryden was born I do not 
know, but he may have come from the land of wooden 
nutmegs, as he was a graduate of Yale. I do know 
that he came to Woodside in the early seventies a poor 
man; so poor, if his old neighbors remember rightly, 
that he did not even possess an overcoat to keep out 
the chill of winter. 

One cold, cheerless day a gentleman and lady with 
two children were seen to enter a vacant house on 
Lincoln avenue, just below Elwood. Those living 
nearby noted that the gentleman made frequent ex- 
cursions to the front gate, evidently looking for that 
load of furniture which did not come. After consider- 
able persuasion he was induced to accept an invita- 
ion from a neighbor to spend the waiting time in that 
neighbor's house. 



242 WOODSIDE. 

Such was Mr. Dry den's introduction to Woodside, 
but even then he was dreaming of industrial insurance, 
and his constant companions and most intimate 
friends were mortality tables and dry statistics, and it 
was not long before he became acquainted with cer- 
tain gentlemen who succumbed to his persuasive 
tongue and furnished the capital with which the Pru- 
dential was started. 

At first the company consisted of Mr. Dryden and 
an office boy, and occupied a comer of somebody's 
store on Broad street, Mr. Dryden's salary at this time 
being $io per week but growth was rapid, and soon 
Col. Samuel L. Buck was installed as assistant, and it 
was not long before the office became a hive of Wood- 
side men and boys, many of whom have grown up 
with it and still remain in its employ. 

It is not necessary to follow Mr. Dryden through 
his many successes. He long ago became too great 
for Woodside, and removed to other surroundings, 
but he is part of the early history of this region. 

"One with a flash begins and ends in smoke; 
The other out of smoke brings glorious light. 
And (without raising expectation high) 
Surprises us with dazzling miracles." 

THE "COUNT". 

No stronger contrast to Mr. Dryden could be 
shown than in the person of "Count" Whitehead, a 
debonair gentleman who began with a flash and ended 
in smoke. For a brief period our friend was the glass 
of fashion and the mould of form for Woodside; he 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 243 

had some money and an ability to "blow it in" that 
was notable. During this period he drove tandem and 
clothed his Adonis-like figure in a way that held all 
eyes. When last heard of the "Count" was a ticket 
chopper in the Pennsylvania ferry house. 

LIEUT.-COL. W. E. BLEWETT. 

In the spring of 1861, Mr. Blewett beceime active 
in organizing a company of volunteers, the men being 
recruited principally from Belleville. This company 
of 10 1 men subsequently formed Company F of the 
Second Regiment of New Jersey (three-year volun- 
teers). They were mustered in at Trenton May ist, 
1 86 1, as part of the First New Jersey Brigade, report- 
ing on May 6th at Washington, being the first fully 
organized brigade to arrive for the defense of the Na- 
tional Capital. A few days later the brigade crossed 
the Potomac, and was the first regiment of three-year 
volunteers to enter the state of Virginia. 

At the Battle of Bull Run, July 21st, 1861, the 
Brigade (4th Division under General Runyon) was 
held as a reserve, but not engaged. They, however, 
were of service in covering the retreat of our army to 
Centerville. Later the Second was attached to the 
First Brigade (Kearny's), Franklin Division; after- 
ward to the First Brigade, First Division, First Army 
Corps. After much service and a most brilliant career, 
on the expiration of its term, the Brigade returned to 
New Jersey for muster out. 

The Second New Jersey was pre-eminently a fight- 
ing regiment. 



244 WOODSIDE. 

On June 12th, 1861, Mr. Blewett was mustered in 
as Second Lieutenant of Company F; June 4th, 1862, 
received commission as First Lieutenant, and April 
1 6th, 1862, by command of Brigadier General Kearny, 
was detailed to take command of the Provost and Ar- 
tillery Guards. Of this command he was very proud, 
owing to the fact that the appointment came direct 
from General Kearny, a much coveted honor. 

Friday, June 27th, 1862, the First New Jersey 
Brigade was ordered to Woodbury's Bridge over the 
Chickahominy, there to meet Gen. Porter's Division. 
(Six companies of the Second, under Lieut.-Col. Sam- 
uel L. Buck, were at that time on picket duty, and 
therefore took no part in this action.) Colonel Tucker 
led out the remaining four companies, including Lieu- 
tenant Blewett's command with the rest of the Bri- 
gade. From Woodbury's Bridge this Brigade, with 
others, was sent to engage the enemy near Gaines's 
Mills and was soon in the thick of the fight. 
Porter's Division, in hand-to-hand conflict, held 
their position against overwhelming odds until 
reinforcements, long delayed, arrived, but owing 
to the fact that their position was unfavorable 
and to the superiority of the enemy in num- 
bers, the Union troops were compelled to retire. 
(The Confederate forces numbered perhaps 56,000; 
the Union troops, 33,000. The Union loss was 6,000 
killed and wounded, besides nearly 2,000 prisoners.- 
The Confederate loss was placed at 9,000 killed and 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 245 

wounded.) The Second Regiment had the right of 
line, and though outnumbered and flanked by the 
enemy, they were the last to leave their station in the 
field. In this fight the regiment lost its colonel, Isaac 
M. Tucker, Capt. Charles Danforth, Color Sergeant 
Thomas Stevens of Belleville, and many others. The 
flags taken at this time were returned by a North 
Carolina regiment many years after. On the after- 
noon of June 27th Lieutenant Blewett was shot in the 
right breast. The ball took a downward course, and 
remained lodged in his side. While working his way to 
the hospital a fragment of a bursting shell cut his belt 
and accoutrements from his side. Upon arriving at 
Gaines's Mills, then used as a hospital. Dr. Oakley 
dressed his wound and advised him to stop there, but 
fearing capture he continued on. This was fortunate, 
as later all the wounded at that hospital were taken 
prisoners. Aided by his colored servant he reached 
home in Belleville, July 4th, 1862. Owing to the fact 
that the ball could not be located the wound was long 
in healing. This incapacitated him for active service, 
and while stationed in Washington, September 9th, 
1862, he resigned. Later Lieutenant Blewett became 
active in the National Guard of this state, was com- 
missioned Captain Company H, Second Regiment, 
New Jersey Rifle Corps, September 19th, 1866; Cap- 
tain Company H, Second Regiment National Guard, 
April 14th, '69 ; Major and Quartermaster on the staff 
of Joseph W. Plume, Brigadier-General First Brigade, 
October 27th, '69 ; Lieutenant-Colonel and Brigade In- 



246 WOODSIDE. 

spector, November 27th, '71 ; resigned November 30th, 
'74. 

MR. THOMAS W. KINSEY. 

Mr. Thomas W. Kinsey comes from a long line of 
warriors, and has lived up to the traditions of the 
family. 

Four brothers of the name came to this country 
in the Mayflower : two settled in Connecticut and two 
in New Jersey. An early ancestor, John Kinsey, was 
speaker of the New Jersey House of Representatives. 
The grandfather of Thomas W., Joel Kinsey, fought 
in the Revolution; his son, Joel, Jr., volunteered for 
the war of 181 2, and his grandson, Thomas W., above, 
when fifteen years of age, enlisted for three years at 
the beginning of the Civil War and, when his time 
had expired, re-enlisted on the field for three more, 
or until the end of the war, putting in four years and 
seven months of fighting. 

During this time he received four wounds and two 
furloughs, one of ten days for bravery on the field of 
battle and one of thirty days after serving three years 
in the ranks. And Mr. Kinsey says he "had no special 
adventures — just plenty of fighting". 

By the time his mother had given her consent to 
his enlistment all the New Jersey regiments were full, 
so this fifteen-year-old boy went to New York and 
enlisted at Fort Schuyler in the First Long Island 
Regiment, which was principally raised through the 
efforts of Henry Ward Beecher, whose brother was 
chaplain to the regiment and whose son was a lieu- 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 247 

tenant therein. This regiment was later known as 
the 67th N. Y., and when its members became deci- 
mated by slaughter it was merged in the 65th N. Y. 

Mr. Kinsey was in all the principal engagements 
of the Army of the Potomac except that at Win- 
chester. During the Battle of the Wilderness he re- 
ceived a bullet in his leg which he carries yet. At the 
Seven Days' Battle, under Brigadier General Aber- 
crombie, his regiment could see nothing in front be- 
cause of fields of tall grain, and he alone volxmteered 
to scout, keeping a couple of hundred yards more or 
less in advance of the line, climbing trees and expos- 
ing himself in other ways, and it was for this exhibi- 
tion of bravery that he received the ten days' furlough 
referred to above. 

He was promoted to the sergeancy of Company C, 
67th N. Y. ; was shot in the head while before Peters- 
burg, a "minie" ball, which is about the size of one's 
thumb, passing through his cheek and out of the back 
of his head at the base of the brain. Because of this 
wound he was in the Fairfax Seminary, which had 
been turned into a hospital, when Lincoln was shot, 
but through the efforts of Governor Ward was trans- 
ferred to Newark, and was here in the hospital some 
three months, being mustered out while still a patient, 
on August 8, 1865. 

Mr. Kinsey came to Woodside in 1867 and has ever 
since resided at the northeast corner of Summer place 
and May street, in the first house erected by Morrison 
& Briggs. 



248 WOODSIDE. 

DR. J. E. JANES. 

Dr. J. E. Janes is worth a good word if for no 
other reason than because of the good he did. 
The Doctor never refused to go when a call 
came, no matter what the night, or if he 
knew that there was no money compensation 
for him. He was endowed with that good 
Samaritan disposition that is so typical of our asso- 
ciations with all that is best in the old-fashioned 
country doctor — everybody's friend and at the service 
of all. When the Doctor found it necessary to re- 
move his family to the balm of the southern California 
coast Woodside lost a man. 

MR. PETER WEILER. 

Mr. Peter Weiler of the River road is spoken of 
as a man of large stature and determination and, 
withal, not easily bluffed. When the Paterson & 
Newark Railroad (now the Newark Branch of the 
Erie) was put through, the railroad people made 
every effort to avoid adequate payment for the land 
taken, and in many cases they succeeded in securing 
the property for little or nothing, but such an ar- 
rangement did not at all meet with the views of Mr. 
Weiler, and when they attempted to rush his place 
he built a rail fence across the proposed line of track 
and mounted guard with a shotgun, and the railroad- 
ers, like Davy Crocket's coon, came down. 

BELLARS. 

One of the queer sticks of the times was Bellars, 
the church organist. No one ever called him "Mr.'* 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 249 

Bellars — he was just plain Bellars — an odd combina- 
tion of ignorance and musical genius. He could not 
read the simplest Sunday school music but, once he 
heard a tune, nothing could drive it out of his head. 

When it came to new music he was a trying 
proposition and grievously tormented Mr. Hine's 
patience. Occasionally there were stormy scenes 
about the organ loft, and at least once Mr. Hine 
threatened to dismiss him if there was not an imme- 
diate improvement, winding up his peroration with 
"It's a short horse and it's soon curried". 

During the latter years of the Bellars reign Mr. 
Hine owned a house on Cottage street, opposite the 
school house, which he allowed the former to occupy 
rent free as compensation for his weekly performance 
on the organ, and somehow the organist got it into 
his twisted noddle that the house had been given to 
him for work done, and it became necessary for the 
court to pass on the matter. 

Bellars employed Will Gumming as his attorney, 
and the latter showed considerable genius in handling 
the case, for he led his forlorn hope in such fashion 
that he almost prevailed against the facts, and as Mr. 
Hine's lawyer was as lame as Will was active, the 
case actually looked serious at one time because of 
the ease with which the young man whipped the elder 
around the legal stump. 

Bellars was the music teacher of the neighborhood 
at a time when my benighted parents conceived the 



250 WOODSIDE. 

notion that I should learn to play the piano. Now, 
while Mr. Hine was very musical, my mother's one 
standard of music was the speed at which it was per- 
formed, and one could play to her on a Sunday such 
a secular composition as "Yankee Doodle", if only it 
were played slow and solemnly, and she would ac- 
cept it as orthodox without hesitation, and I am my 
mother's son when it comes to musical matters ; hence 
I call my parents benighted for casting their money 
before Bellars. 

So far as can be judged, at this distance, Bellars's 
chief notion of the teacher's function was to receive 
the dollar, or whatever the lesson cost. Thus we can 
readily comprehend what the result must have been 
when such a teacher and such a pupil got together. 
The gentleman was a ventriloquist, or said he was, 
and he would cause little birds to sing up the chimney 
or under the piano, and sometimes a cat would meow 
or a dog bark in the far corner of the room. All this 
served to pass the hour devoted to the weekly lesson. 

The last time I saw Bellars was some years after 
his departure from Woodside, on an occasion when 
he was gawking down Broadway with a carpet bag 
that must have long lain dormant in some neglected 
corner, a picture that would have done a Puck artist 
a world of good, with his lean figure and excruciat- 
ingly thin visage. What was his latter end I know 
not, but I verily believe that he dried up and blew 
away. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 251 

BOATING DAYS ON THE PASSAIC. 

During the eighties and early nineties the Passaic 
river, where it skirted Woodside, was one of the most 
celebrated rowing courses in the country, and here 
assembled well-known oarsmen from far and near, in- 
cluding such men as Courtney, Hanlon, Oomes, Ten 
Eyck, Edward Phillips and George Lee. 

So far as known, the Rev. Mr. Sherman, rector of 
Christ Church, Belleville, was the first to use a 
racing shell on the river. Closely following Mr. Sher- 
man came Mr. James S. Taylor, whose earliest recol- 
lections are of the river and its ways. Mr. Taylor 
grew up on the water and was one of its first boatmen. 

Probably the first boat club was the Woodside 
Rowing Club; but this was more of a social organi- 
zation with rowing as a side issue. John Eastwood, 
a leading member, later joined the Tritons and be- 
came Commodore of the Passaic River Rowing Asso- 
ciation. The Passaic Boat Club is considered the first. 
Its original house was situated about opposite Centre 
street, but it was not long before the Club moved to 
Woodside and established itself just below the Point 
House. 

The Triton Boat Club, the third to be organ- 
ized, soon out-distanced the others, and became the 
social as well as the boating centre of the Passaic. 
It was really born in 1868, in Phil. Bower's boathouse, 
where certain oarsmen stored their boats, but was not 
officially organized until 1873, when the members met 
in the office of the Newark Lime & Cement Company. 



252 WOODSIDE. 

Twelve men attended this meeting, but only six names 
are given as organizers of the club : Frederick Town- 
ley, Henry C. Rommel, Truman Miller, Samuel A. 
Smith, Frederick Earl and Sidney Ogden. The other 
six seceded and organized the Eureka Boat Club. 

About 1875 the club built its first house at the foot 
of the Gully road, and the following year the first re- 
gatta was held. The Passaic offered a beautiful course 
to oarsmen, but it did not come prominently before 
the country until the Eurekas rowed in the races held 
at Philadelphia during the Centennial. This called 
attention to the Passaic and resulted in the first Na- 
tional Regatta on its waters, 1878. A moonlight race 
between the Tritons and the Viking Boat Club of 
Elizabeth, which was pulled off in October, 1879, is 
remembered as one of the notable events. 

Both Edward and Frank Phillips were prominent 
as oarsmen of the club, the former so much so that he, 
with Henry Rommel, was sent to the National Re- 
gatta held at Saratoga in 1881 or 1882. Henry Rom- 
mel, by the way, is probably the most **be-medaled" 
member of the club. George Small was another well- 
known Triton, as was George Lee who was brought 
out by the club and sent by it to England. 

Those enthusiastic members who had no time for 
meals, recall Ed. Holt's "Floating Palace" with its 
cargo of pie and soft drinks as a welcome haven of 
refuge, and they also indorse the statement that the 
place was entirely respectable. 




A CANOE REGATTA ON THE PASSAIC 
As seen from tlie lioat of the lanthe Canoe Club 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 253 

It is Still a matter of common remark by oarsmen 
of other localities that the Passaic was the finest river 
on which they ever rowed. 

The Triton organization still exists in the hope 
that some day the river will be restored to its old-time 
purity and again be in condition for aquatic sports, 
but all it does at present is to eat a dinner once each 
year. It is rather a remarkable fact that the club has 
never lost an active member by death, except in one 
case of suicide. 

Possibly the first racing boat other than a single 
shell owned by the Triton Club, was one fitted for 
three pairs of oars and a coxswain, which was origi- 
nally purchased by a well-known group of gentlemen 
that resided on the banks of the Passaic. John Ruth- 
erfurd was one of these, and the boat was kept for a 
long time on the lawn in front of his dwelling. 

One of the familiar figures of early days was Doc- 
tor Lauterborn, of Mulberry street who, after walking 
to the Passaic boathouse, thought nothing of rowing 
to the city of Passaic and back, finishing his afternoon 
by walking home. 

CANOEING RECOLLECTIONS. 

The history of the lanthe Canoe Club, and of 
canoeing in general on the Passaic river, dates back to 
a certain mysterious green canvas canoe that, in 1880, 
appeared from no one knows where. Presumably it 
was constructed by some budding genius in the loft of 
his father's barn, but all that we know definitely now 
is that its discovery was made by Will McDonald. 



254 WOODSIDE. 

This green canoe was the inspiration which set 
others at work and during the winter of '80-1 a second 
canvas canoe, painted black, was built in the cellar of 
77 Lincoln avenue, by "Lin" Palmer, who, as he won 
the first canoe race ever paddled on the Passaic and 
launched the first white man's canoe on our beautiful 
stream, so far as is known, is entitled to a central po- 
sition in the limelight. 

The black Palmer was launched with much cir- 
cumstance in the following spring, and was at that 
time the only canoe on the river, as its green pro- 
genitor was not baptized until some time later, when 
Will McDonald purchased her. 

In 1 88 1 a group of six boys, consisting of Lincoln 
B. Palmer Robert M. and Albert Phillips, Will Mc- 
Donald, John Russell and one other, formed the 
lanthe Canoe Club. John Russell was boy in a drug 
store at the corner of Belleville and Bloomfield ave- 
nues, and he brought to the meeting a soda water 
fountain catalogue, which contained many pretty 
names, and from this the name of the club was se- 
lected, the lady appearing therein as a particularly at- 
tractive water sprite. George P. Douglass, who be- 
came a factor in canoeing circles about 1887, was a 
later acquisition to the club. 

The old Woodside Rowing Club's building was 
standing idle. It belonged to the Messers. Hendricks, 
and a visit to these gentlemen resulted in an arrange- 
ment whereby the club was to have the building rent 
free, provided it kept the place in repair. 



C. C. HINE AND HIS TIMES. 255 

The club grew and prospered and in August, 1882, 
its members were invited by the Triton Boat Club to 
participate in the first canoe race ever held on the 
river. It seems that one Hussey, a member of the 
Triton Club owned a canoe and had a reputation as a 
paddler, and it was because there was no one else to 
play with that the boys were asked to enter the race. 
There was no thought but that Hussey would win; 
he had been in races before and was the star of the 
occasion. "Lin" Palmer beat him quite handily and 
there was gloom in the home of the Tritons. And thus 
ended the first canoe race, which was participated in 
by "Walt" and Will McDougall, as well as by "Lin" 
Palmer and Hussey. 

During the following five years the club prospered 
greatly, but no events of importance are recorded. In 
1887 John Pierson, of Bloomfield, and "Lin" Psilmer, 
were sent as the first representatives from the Passaic 
river to an American Canoe Association meet, which 
this year was held on Lake Champlain. Neither of 
these representatives had ever been on such an expe- 
dition before, and their outfit was primitive in the 
extreme — so much so that they were shortly dubbed 
"the frying pan cruisers" by those who traveled with 
more elaborate and cumbersome outfits. But from 
now on the lanthe moved up into the front rank of 
canoeists, as its members acquired the habit of cap- 
turing prizes, and held this position until the condition 
of the river drove all boating from its surface. 



256 WOODSIDE. 

A LAST WORD IN REGARD TO MR. HINE. 

We have about come to the end of this somewhat 
peculiar narrative, but before closing it I wish to say 
a final word in regard to Mr. Hine: I have inter- 
viewed very many who had to do with the early days 
of Woodside, without reference as to whether they 
were personal friends or not, and have heard but one 
opinion expressed, and universally expressed, in a man- 
ner too sincere to admit of any doubt. Each one re- 
calls the man with a vividness and interest that time 
seemingly cannot dull, and each impression is but a 
repetition in one form or another of a great heart and 
a pure, clean minded man. 

It is given to few to be remembered as is Mr. 
Hine, and though he has been dead more than twelve 
years (April i6, 1897), ^^^ memory of him and the 
impression he left are as distinct and clear as though 
his departure were but yesterday. The abundant 
tears which were shed over his bier came from hun- 
dreds who felt that they had lost a personal friend 
and helper. 



PART III. 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 

The following is personal to C. C. Hine» the writ- 
er's father, and consists of extracts from a "private" 
book, from obituary notices, anecdotes, etc. 

I have found it impossible to select words that give 
a true idea of my father's character, it was so simple, 
so lovable, so piure, and yet so strong, and even 
rugged. He had a faith that nothing could shake. 
There was no room for doubt in his mind ; his religion 
was to him an absolute fact, and when his wonderful 
strength of character and broad knowledge of the 
world are considered, this child-like trust was remark- 
able. As boy and man he received many hard knocks 
in the struggle for existence and had seen rough and 
trying times, but through it all he kept his mind clean 
and his love for his fellow-man bright. 

Presumably he was always so— the testimony of 
his mother indicated it, and I have only recently dis- 
covered a private book which was never intended for 
other eyes, but which shows one of his phases so 
clearly that it is here quoted from at length. 

November 20, 1852, Mr. Hine wrote in this book 
which he then started for the purpose of system- 
atizing and keeping track of his giving: "Three 



260 WOODSIDE. 

weeks before the beginning of the present month, I 
came to a definite conclusion regarding a system of 
formal and regular giving for charitable and religious 
purposes, with which to govern my future course." 

He adopted a scale system whereby, if his income 
ever reached $14,000 he would give one-half of it 
away, and this was not intended to cover "occasional 
and irregular giving". 

At the time he made this covenant with himself 
he was receiving, in St. Louis, $800 per annum. On 
the ist of November he removed to New Albany, Ind., 
and began again at $400 per annum, but on Decem- 
ber I St his income was increased to the rate of $600 
per annimi. 

That he gave imtil it hurt him there is ample evi- 
dence, for we read in January, 1853: "I find myself 
very much straitened in many matters and greatly 
fear I will fall far behind my hopes of what I should 
save up for my visit home March ist"; but his ac- 
counts show that he kept on giving. 

"July 4, 1853, I was married. — Prov. xxxi.:ii. 
Amen. During August I was preparing to engage in 
a new line of duty, and as I am now entering upon an 
employment whose results will not be ascertainable 
each month I must credit what I give as I go along 
and then balance up a year hence." 

Apparently on December 31, 1854, he writes: "Not 
knowing the precise condition of my business I have 
been unable to charge up the percentages heretofore. 
I now find that my net income for the year ending, say, 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 261 

August, 1854, was about $1,800, besides my living. 
This, situated as I was, did not amount to more than 
$200 for self and wife. Calling the year in round 
numbers $2,000 I must charge myself with one fif- 
teenth of the whole amount, which is $133.33. * * * 
I thought I was wonderfully liberal all along through 
these sixteen months, and yet the figures bring me in 
debt $75! I can never be sufficiently thankful that 
God put it into my heart to begin this account, for I 
have found that the majority of my opportunities for 
giving have occurred when, from exterior circum- 
stances, I have 'felt poor', and but for the conscious- 
ness that I owed, fairly, justly and honestly owed, 
according to a bargain of my own making, a large bal- 
ance to the Lord's work in general, and perchance — 
who could know — to the very case in hand in par- 
ticular, I should not have given even the little I have." 

By December 31, 1856, he had exceeded the limit 
for giving established by his scale to the extent of 
over 32 per cent. He debates with himself as to 
whether he should charge his pew rent in this account, 
but finally concludes to do so. 

In 1857 he notes that his income is about $2,000 
"and my family has been increased by a Father, 
Mother and Sister-in-Law, making me six mouths to 
fill instead of three." * * * 

"I must now record one of those eras that will 
happen in men's lives when they are not content to let 
well enough alone: — 



262 WOODSIDE. 

"In April, 1857, 1 abandoned a prosperous business, 
mounted a hobby and galloped headlong into an en- 
terprise that has sunk every cent I had in the world 
and plunged me very deeply in debt besides, so that I 
will have to work for years to extricate myself. 

"I have now — ^July, 1858 — as the result of my 
folly, no offering of money to make to the Lord's 
cause." 

Then follows his account brought forward which, 
in spite of the fact that only one dollar is credited "By 
Missionary Subscription", is still somewhat ahead of 
his limit. 

"Many months have gone by since the foregoing 
was written — ^months of varied experience. 

"In January, 1859, I relinquished my school en- 
terprise, a loser, probably, of $13,000 and about $7,000 
'worse than nothing'. * * * Providentially I was 
not permitted to remain idle a day. January ist I was 
engaged with the JE.tna Insurance Company at $1,500 
per annum. * * * 

"It has been a matter of much debate in my mind 
whether it was proper for me while so deeply involved 
in debt to 'give away' anything. It has seemed like 
assuming to disburse the money that belongs to others 
without their knowledge or consent. 

"I do not find, however, that, when I entered into 
this covenant seven years ago, I made any provision 
for my present predicament. Hence I must regard 
this covenant as prior, and not to be annulled by sub- 
sequent transactions. I am glad that I can see this 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 263 

view of the case very plainly, as I find great comfort 
in it. I shall now be relieved from one of the most 
onerous results of my pecuniary disaster — inabilty to 
join in the various contributions to the Lord's cause. 

"During the Winter and Spring of 1859 I was 
traveling in Texas. The following Summer in Ken- 
tucky, and the Winter of i860 in Georgia, Alabama 
and other Southern States, until April. All this time 
being under great pecuniary pressure and not having 
clearly arrived at the decision just above recorded, 
my contributions were neither frequent nor large. No 
regular account was kept and I can only recall two in 
addition to those recorded." 

Then follows his ledger account with the various 
percentages charged against him, and showing that he 
had fallen considerably behind his scale. 

"In June, i860, 1 removed my family to Covington, 
Ky., to be near my business headquarters in Cincin- 
nati, and I trust that I may again fall into somewhat 
like regularity of habits, both in my business life and 
Christian experience." * * * 

April 5, 1861 : "Hitherto this record has been kept 
in an old 'Pass Book', but from its semi-journal form 
it has assumed dimensions not anticipated nine years 
ago, when first begun. Hence I have purchased this 
book and copied out and set in order the whole thing 
from the beginning. 

"But I find that this long parade of figures and 
remarks is likely — unless I have a care — to prove a 



264 WOODSIDE. 

snare to me, as Gideon's ephod did to him and his 
house. Truly man delighteth in vanity." 

During the three years past his income had been 
gradually increased to $2,000 per annum, but "Sept. 
I (1862) my income was again decreased, on account 
of the stringency of war times, to $1,500". * * * 

"This is the second year of the great civil war; 
times have been pretty hard for men with fixed in- 
comes, but I have kept even, thanks to a kind Provi- 
dence." 

By July, 1864, he had nearly caught up in his giv- 
ing to the amount with which he had debited himself. 
At this time he writes : — 

"Let me here record one of those singular and 
precious providences that my faith, thank God, is 
broad enough to recognize. The 'war times* were 
pinching me, prices of necessaries were enormous. 
Only by the closest figuring could I 'make both ends 
meet'. I said to the Lord 'Send me an increase and I 
will make a thank offering of the first $100'. On a 
business visit to New York this month I unexpectedly 
got a contract to write a book for $500, a matter to be 
completed 'nights and mornings' in three or four 
months. On my return home I obtained an advance 
on my salary of $750 per annum. An opportunity sud- 
denly presented itself also for me to buy a piece of 
paper at a profit of $98 which I cleared in a transac- 
tion involving a couple of hours' labor. These three 
things (if I except the advanced salary, which I ought 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 265 

to have had long ago, but had almost despaired of) 
were unexpected and providential. I was thus 
granted the honor of assisting in the rescue of the 
American Board by a greatly advanced (for me) con- 
tribution." 

January g, 1865 : "I was elected secretary of the In- 
ternational Insurance Company of New York, at a 
salary of $6,000. If I make a thank offering of my 
first half -month's salary it will be in harmony with the 
past, but a small testimonial for the Lord's goodness 
to me in giving me more than I asked." 

He then debits himself "To Thank Offering $250". 

"In March (1865) I removed from Walnut Hills, 
Ohio, to New York with my family, and on May ist 
to Brooklyn, L. I., where we connect ourselves with 
the South Congregational Church, Rev. Edward Tay- 
lor, Pastor." 

By June, 1865, he had again slightly exceeded his 
limit of giving, and thereafter seems to have kept well 
ahead. 

"We resided but one year in Brooklyn and in May, 
1866, we went to Piermont, N. Y., on the Hudson, to 
spend the Summer. Here we remained four months 
and in September went to Newark, N. J., where we 
boarded until March, 1867, when, on the completion 
of our new house at Woodside, N. J., we removed to 
that beautiful place in the expectation and hope of 
making it our permanent home. Our family consisted 
of six souls." 



266 WOODSIDE. 

The next entry was made in 1879, and reads: — 

"Years have elapsed — twelve of them — since the 
last entry in this book, and I have been meantime 
having my books of account kept as memoranda, 
rather than as double entry accounts, in deference to 
a favorite employee, so that I have been unable to 
make precise statements. For 1867 I paid income tax 
on $6,280, but that was after allowed deductions of 
nearly $1,900. In March, 1868, I became the propri- 
etor of the Insurance Monitor in New York and en- 
tered upon a publishing business which for several 
years netted me $12,000 per annum. Since 1873 this 
has gradually fallen off and now, 1879, amounts to 
but half as much. I think that, for the last thirteen 
years, 1867-1879 inclusive, $8,000 per annum would 
be a full statement of my profits." * * * 

Mr. Hine goes on to state that during all these 
years he has kept no detailed account, but is satisfied 
he has given sufficient to cover the percentage due, 
and that "there is no necessity for detailed entries and, 
besides, I am reminded of a passage in the life of 
Ichabod Washburn, where he found that such an ac- 
count as this let his right hand know what his left was 
doing, and he abandoned it. So long, therefore, as I 
am quite clear that I am disbursing as much or more 
than my contract calls for, I will omit the entries 
here". 

Under date 1886 he writes: "It is six years since 
I have looked or written in this book and it will prob- 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 267 

ably be longer before I open it again. Meantime I am 
glad that I released myself from bookkeeping in the 
matter of giving. Without accounts quite as well as 
with them I am conscious that I have lived up to my 
plan and I expect to do so in the future." 

The last entry is dated 1892 : "Wholly by accident 
I came upon this book. I am past sixty-six years old 
now. I have nothing to add except that for the last 
few years, perhaps five or six, I have not been giving 
as freely as I formerly did. This is partly because of 
a change in my convictions of duty in regard to my 
local church relations, and partly because the general 
demands upon me have crowded my income very 
closely, and partly because my business has been less 
remunerative and my accounts unsystematiczdly kept. 
I do not remember the details very fully, but my gen- 
eral consciousness is that I am falling behind in my 
giving and getting in debt on this account." 

When Mr. Hine summed up as above he evidently 
did not include his "occasional and irregular giving" 
for an examination of his check stubs after his death 
led to the belief that he was then giving away fully 
50 per cent of his income. 

WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT OF MR. HINE. 
It is difHcult to put on paper that which will ade- 
quately depict Mr. Hine's many-sided character, but 
the following extracts from some of the death notices 
written by those who knew him best in his business 
life are given to show what sort of an impression he 
made on these : — 



268 WOODSIDE. 

"He was always so active that, although he had 
passed his seventy-first birthday, his death was 
something that had never been thought of by anybody 
except possibly himself. He traveled so much, did so 
much, was interested in so many things, that he will 
be widely missed. His was a many sided nature. He 
had a good knowledge of both art and mechanics. 
* * * He was always self reliant, and to the end 
independent." — [Insurance Times. 

"Every person who knew Mr. Hine at all inti- 
mately feels himself bereft of a friend." 

— [Mutual Underwriter. 

"He was an able and strong writer; and whatever 
he wrote was fully 'tuned* to his convictions." 

—[The -ffitna. 

"Personally, he was a lovable and amiable man, 
and as a business man his reputation for fairness and 
integrity was never questioned." 

— [Travelers* Record. 

"A remarkable man was the late Charles C. Hine. 
What tireless industry he had, what versatility, what 
cheerfulness. What long journeys he took and kept 
taking, in his advanced years. Hale, hearty, ready to 
join in debate, to read a paper, to sing a song, and sing 
it well. * * * Fresh as a young man and capable of 
all kinds of work. Invincible, irrepressible; a typical 
American.** — [Insurance Magazine. 

"To us the sad news was especially painful, as we 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 269 

had known him intimately, and been associated with 
him in business relations for many years, in which 
connection we had learned to admire his great talents 
as a writer on insurance, and deeply to respect his 
noble character, in which there mingled all the ele- 
ments that do honor to man. * * * The professional 
labors of Mr. Hine may pass on to other hands, but 
the personality of the man has left an impress which 
will make his name honored and revered long after 
the busy world has ceased to think of his professional 
work. * * * As an editor he was in his vocation, 
for his very wide reading, shrewd judgment, great ca- 
pacity for literary work, raised him to great distinc- 
tion in this field. * * * But most of all will he be 
missed by those many mourners who, forgetting the 
intellectual attainments of the man, can only feel that 
his great and pure and kindly heart has ceased to 
beat." — [Insurance & Finance Chronicle, Montreal. 

"It has been truly said of Mr. Hine that as a pro- 
moter of sociability and a softener of rancour he had 
few if any equals, and certainly no superiors." 

— [The Index, London. 

"The education emanating from a type of mind 
such as that possessed by Mr. Hine is beyond the or- 
dinary mention." — [Short Rates. 

"As a writer his style was original, vigorous and 
entertaining. He had strong opinions, and never 
hesitated to express them. * * * 

"Mr. Hine had lived for many years in Newark, 



270 WOODSIDE. 

N. J., and though purposely avoiding any interming- 
ling in political affairs, he was closely identified with 
what was best in the social and religious life of the 
city, in which activities he made himself a positive 
force." — [Insurance Age. 

"His death came as a shock to all who knew him, 
for, although in his seventy-second year, his clean and 
wholesome life had left few marks of age on his strong 
and kindly face, and, though his hair and beard were 
white with the frosts of years, his vigorous bearing 
and evident strength of mind and body gave promise 
of many years of usefulness." 

— [Insurance Opinion. 

"Mr. Hine was a brilliant ornament to the pro- 
fession, and his death is a severe blow to the insurance 
press and the insurance world. * * * 

"Mr. Hine's portrait stands on our desk, and will 
ever remind us of the memory of a good man." 

— [Review, London. 

"Though the passing years had whitened his hair 
and beard he seemed young — and in spirit and thought 
he was young. * * * We shall not soon forget his 
words at one of the meetings of the Fire Underwrit- 
ers' Association of the Northwest, when he urged the 
young men to be clean men. How well the word clean 
describes him who is gone. He was clean in thought, 
word and action. He was an inspiration to men to 
make the most of themselves." 

— [Philadelphia Intelligencer. 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 271 

"For, while he was successful, he had been through 
the tests that try men's characters and he was a clean, 
honorable and self-respecting man who saw more in 
life than mere pecuniary reward. * * * It is a great 
thing to go through the world clean-handed, clean- 
minded and in good repute without sacrificing indi- 
viduality and force. Mr. Hine did that." 

— [Insurance Herald. 

"Always pleasant, always a gentleman. He could 
not well be otherwise, for he had nothing else in his 
make-up. * * * He was a man of exceedingly cor- 
rect habits, and it would seem as though he ought to 
have lived for many years yet. * * * jf there is 
any particular place on the other side set apart for the 
genial, as well as for the good, C. C. Hine will be di- 
rected thereto." — [Oriental. 

"Though the largest assembly room in that por- 
tion of the city of Newark, its auditorium was not 
large enough to hold all the people who desired to pay 
to the memory of the deceased their tribute of re- 
spect and affection. The seats and aisles were filled, 
and many, unable to gain admittance, stood outside." 
— [New York Insurance Journal. 

"He was a good editor, a vigorous writer, a clear 
thinker, and a student. He led a cleanly life. His 
methods were pure and honorable." 

— [Insurance Record. 

"Mr. nine's social and personal qualities were such 



272 WOODSIDE. 

that he was respected and loved by all who knew him. 
He was a pure and gentle soul." 

— [Insurance Advocate. 

"The death of C. C. Hine * * * called forth 
such widespread and universal expressions of sorrow 
and esteem that his death, like the record of his life, 
will long continue a source of inspiration and noble 
incentive to every one in his profession." 

— [Western Insurance Review. 

"Mr. Hine was widely known and as widely re- 
spected. He was an able man, a good man, steadfast 
in friendship, large in the spirit of comradeship, gentle, 
kind and true. * * * Constant growth and intel- 
lectual development were among his most marked 
characteristics. * * He was a many-sided man — 
interested and studious in various directions. * * * 
His popularity in the insurance business and far be- 
yond it, was not the result of a promiscuous outpour- 
ing of honeyed words, for he was a man of decided 
opinions, and could always give good reasons for the 
faith that was in him. * * * Mr. Hine was a re- 
markable man, and extraordinarily successful in win- 
ning the love of those who were close to him, and the 
lasting respect of all others with whom he came in 
contact." — [Insurance Press. 

"Is life worth living? As long as a man can find 
the determination to live as Colonel Hine did, and in 
death call out so much sincere and strong recogni- 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 273 

tion of the effectiveness and usefulness of his life, the 
question stands answered in the affirmative. And 
when one has so lived there is no dread of death — ^it 
has no sting." — [Insurance Herald. 

"Mr. Mine's life is his best epitaph." 

— [Insurance Press. 

"He was one of the most consistent Christian men 
we ever knew. The principles he professed were 
acted out in his life. He loved his neighbor as him- 
self, and his genial, sunny manner will never be for- 
gotten by those who were fortunate enough to come 
within the circle of his acquaintance." 

— [Insurance Agent. 

*'He had faithfully wrought out his task, never 
flinching from bearing his share of burdens, and was 
still in the harness when called hence. He leaves be- 
hind most pleasant memories of a stalwart man whose 
example is worthy of emulation." — [Rough Notes. 

"Mr. Hine was a man of exceptional mental poise, 
with not only an extensive knowledge of men and 
events, but endowed with prudence and skill to make 
use of that knowledge for the achievement of prac- 
tical results." — [Argus. 

"He took pride and pleasure in his editorial work, 
and it was performed in a cleanly and conscientious 
manner. It was marked with amiability, versatility, 
good sense and comprehensive grasp of every subject. 
* * * Free from improper motives himself, he was 



274 WOODSIDE. 

slow to suspect or discover deceit and trickery in 
others. * * * Even in controversy he was emi- 
nently fair and temperate and just.'^ 

— [Baltimore Underwriter. 

"The universal esteem in which C. C. Hine was 
held is voiced in the comment in the insurance press 
upon his high ideals of living and the able and fear- 
less manner in which he represented insurance 
thought in his writings. * * * j^ speaking of the 
insurance press, he referred to its editors as being the 
'high priests* of the insurance business." 

— [Standard. 

''A clean and lovely soul the old man was, fighting 
wrong and supporting justice with honorable 
weapons. He well fulfilled the motto of Lincoln: 
"With charity for all and malice toward none." 

— [United States Review, April 29th. 

"The ledger of his life is full of good deeds." 

— [Views. 

"The passing away of Charles C. Hine, the widely 
respected editor and publisher of the Insurance Moni- 
tor, of New York, has brought sadness and a sense of 
personal loss to thousands of hearts. He was an up- 
right man, a forceful character in the world, and in 
many respects lived an ideal life. His career was one 
of usefulness, and the world is better off because he 
lived. It was his good fortune to be favored in liberal 
measure with those endowments which won and re- 
tained the cordial regard of the multitudes who knew 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 27S 

him. A man of inflexible integrity of character, of 
superior mental equipment, and a disposition which 
constantly inspired him to modest acts of helpfulness 
and sunshine, he was more than respected — ^he was be- 
loved. As journalist, publisher, author and public 
speaker, he stood in the foremost rank in the insurance 
circles of the United States, and he constantly digni- 
fied and took pride in his work." 

— [United States Review, April 22d. 

"The personality of him who was affectionately 
known as the 'Patriarch' covered more than literary 
talent, more than business ability, more than profes- 
sional strength. It embraced, as many of us can tes- 
tify, an instinctive and undeviating support of the 
highest ideals of integrity, honesty and honor. * * * 
His heart was kindly, and his life pure and upright. 
As a friend and neighbor he was S3mipathetic and 
helpful; as a counsellor of those in need his aid was 
unstinted." — [Resolutions adopted by the Fire Un- 
derwriters' Association of the Pacific. 

" 'A good name is better than riches', says the 
proverbialist of the Old Scripture, and the truth of the 
saying is never more forcibly illustrated than when 
death has called away the possessor of such a name. 

"Nothing is said of the amount of money accumu- 
lated by Mr. Hine during his lifetime, but all are elo- 
quent in praise of his integrity, his courage in well- 
doing, his broad charity and his devotion to the cause 
of righteousness and truth. * *• ^ Colonel Hine 



276 WOODSIDE. 

was a rare man, one whose example shines like a bea- 
con above the rocks and shoals of commercial life, re- 
minding those still voyaging there that deeds 'are the 
harvest of eternity*." — [Vindicator. 

"We know that he does not participate in our pro- 
ceedings to-day, but who dares to say that, from be- 
yond the purple and the gold, his keen eye is not 
watching us, and that his old-time smile does not beam 
from his pale, thoughtful, scholarly, beautiful face, as 
we have so often seen it do at these meetings. Such a 
man as he was, with the work he did, and the ex- 
ample he gave, needs no eulogfy. Let us then try to 
tell, in plain and simple language, the story of his 
life, which was like a beautiful road, strewn on either 
side with flowers and fruits, with birds and butter- 
flies. * * * 

"Charles C. Hine was more than we have hastily 
described him as being. He was something besides a 
telegraph operator, an underwriter, an editor, a busi- 
ness man, a lecturer. He was a g^eat man with a 
great soul; a good man with a good heart; a strong 
man with a strong mind. He was a man who had 
traveled as far as the sun and yet never gotten away 
from his childhood. He was the Doctor Johnson in 
whatever circle he chose to move, and yet as modest 
as a girl. He was the pride and glory of a great pro- 
fession and yet as unassuming as a bashful boy. He 
remembered the love of his father, the caresses of his 
mother and the kisses of his sister— contact with the 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 2l7 

world did not harden his heart. He married the 
woman he loved, and for over forty years lived a per- 
fect wedded life. He was a consistent member of the 
church and for thirty years the superintendent of a 
Sunday School. He was a working officer of the In- 
ternational Law & Order League. Three or four 
years ago, at Chautauqua, he addressed an audience 
of over five thousand persons. To measure the good 
he did in the world would be as impossible as to esti- 
mate the blessing of the sun's rays. He became an 
old man on earth and continued to believe in God, in 
charity, in love, in goodness. He found inspiration in 
the stars, music in the birds, wisdom in babes, and 
peace in the Bible. He believed in women and trusted 
men. 

— [Memorial address of I. W. Holman. 

"A few days later, in the little church, the simple 
ceremony was performed. The house was filled to 
overflowing by men, women and children, neighbors 
and friends — all mourners. With streaming eyes they 
followed him to his last resting place on earth. His 
grave was filled with flowers and tears, and dedicated, 
in sorrow, to love. The dusk gathered softly, the 
shadows fell slowly — a helper of the poor, of the 
widow and the fatherless, was gone. * * * 

"If it is the noblest epitaph to be written over the 
grave, that the man who lies there has been active, 
determined and firm in his principles, and has won 
notable success while passing through the fire of life 



278 WOODSIDE. 

without a stain of dishonesty upon his character, then 
Charles C. Hine lies fairly crowned with that finest 
laurel of mortality." 

— [From memorial adopted by the National Associa- 
tion of Life Underwriters. 

"The death of Mr. C. C. Hine removes one of the 
most conspicuous figures in insiu'ance journalism. 
Personally, we lose a valued friend, the profession 
loses an ornament. He was a good editor, a vigorous 
writer, a clear thinker, and a student. He led a cleanly 
life. His methods were pure and honorable, and he 
was a man that every editor of a paper could point to 
with pride, and say : 'He is the Patriarch' of us. His 
death came as a great surprise. We had always con- 
sidered him physically strong and likely to live for 
many years. But then we did not think of the fact 
that he had lived the prescribed limit of 'three score 
years and ten'. It appears that he had been ailing for 
a long time, and on Saturday, the i6th, he sank quietly 
to rest. The Insurance Monitor, whose coliunns he 
so long presided over, will miss him greatly, and his 
death will prove a distinct loss, not only to journalism, 
but to the entire profession of underwriting. 

"Monday afternoon, a meeting of the insurance 
journalists was held in the office of The Weekly Un- 
derwriter, and the following minute was adopted : — 

" 'The insurance journalists of New York, con- 
vened this 2oth day of April, 1897, upon news of the 
death of Mr. Charles C. Hine, unite in testifying their 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 279 

sorrow for their own great loss and in respectfully 
tendering their sympathy to the bereaved family. 

** 'As editor and publisher for nearly fifty years of 
the Insurance Monitor, he had in all sincerity and with 
eminent ability wrought well for what he deemed the 
best in insurance — the best for all. Nor in this way 
alone, but in very many public addresses, in books and 
pamphlets of his own, and in contributions to other 
books, had he labored to the same good purpose. And 
so he came to be, in fact, as long ago he was affec- 
tionately styled, "The Patriarch" among us. 

*' 'He believed in his work, rejoiced in it, was proud 
of it. To him are all insurance journalists debtors for 
the high standard of life and labor which he set and by 
his conduct exemplified. 

" 'Called hence in his yet unwithered ripeness of 
mind and heart, he leaves us the pleasant and heart- 
ening memory of one who honored our profession by 
staunch though tolerant fidelity to his sense of right. 

" 'Committee.* 

"The Life Underwriters* Association of New York, 
at a meeting held last night, appointed a committee 
which drew up the following minute : — 

" 'The members of this association are profoundly 
grieved in learning that their brother and friend, 
Charles C. Hine, has passed out of the mortal into the 
immortal life, and that they are to see his face no 
more. He was known to life insurance workers 
around the world. For a third of a century his was 



280 WOODSIDE. 

a helping hand to every toiler in the life insur- 
ance field. His journalistic work was not per- 
functory, but glad and joyous. He believed. 
He had strong convictions. And he lived to 
see the little rill of life insurance broaden and 
deepen into the mighty river. As a writer he was 
many-sided. He knew the tensile strength of fact as 
expressed in figures and diagrams ; and his work was 
enhanced in value by a never-ceasing play of humor. 
As a speaker none who ever heard him will forget 
him. He was ready, convincing, entertaining, versa- 
tile, apt. Living two years beyond his allotted three- 
score and ten, he seemed in appearance but to have 
entered upon the Indian Summer of his days. When 
last with us, but a few weeks since, he appeared to be 
but little changed from what he was a score of years 
ago. When the end came he was as a "shock of com 
fully ripe", ready to be garnered. It was meet and fit 
that he should go thus swiftly, with the light shining 
on him from the worlds out of sight, for he had lived 
his life with such a transfer in view. This association 
holds out its hand in silence to the sorrowing ones of 
his household, for whose deeper grief it has the pro- 

foundest sympathy. 

"Committee.* 

— [Insurance Record — April. 

"It was a good morning for taking a last look. The 
sun shone forth in cloudless beauty, the air was 
sweeter for a frost of the night before; there was 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 281 

green grass« and much token, too, of leafage and 
flower. This is the time of year when the outer world 
tries hard to tell us of something better than itself. 
Not a violet or a dandelion by the wayside that does 
not sing of bloom that shall never fade. A seeming 
endless repetition of life and death points true to the 
endless life, the spring time unfading, the friendships 
that endure. 

"The simple ceremonies were held at the little 
church where the man was best known. There were 
banks of flowers, and there were streaming eyes. He 
must have been dear to the children for many of them 
were weeping as though they had lost a father. The 
place was crowded. The minister told a simple story 
of what the life had been on its religious side. Mr. 
Hine was an earnest Christian worker. He was a 
helper of others. He had no debate over doctrines. 
He accepted the truths of Christianity, and practiced 
what he believed. He was a helper of the poor, of the 
widow and the fatherless. It was a most pathetic ad- 
dress, out of the heart of a man who felt that the com- 
munity has suffered an irreparable loss. 

"Thus did we get a glimpse of the real life of the 
man, and take note of the things he lived for. Many, 
many years we knew him here in the great, babbling 
town. Like the rest of us, he had his work to do, and 
he did it with a will. But his heart the while was 
there in the little church, there with the pastor, the 
poor, the children. 

''It is a benefaction to be buried when life is burst- 



282 WOODSIDE. 

ing forth everywhere. The autumn entombment is 
followed by a cold and dreary winter. It is so hard for 
those who weep to listen to the sleet against the win- 
dow, the madness of the storm. And the snow piled 
up on the fresh tomb, how it chills one to think of it ! 
But now come sunshiny days and calm, sweet nights, 
and through all the shining stars talk to us, and tell 
us that our dead were never buried, but journeyed 
swiftly to worlds more glorious ; and we believe what 
they say. But we hear not the star voices except when 
there are calm and warmth, and bud and blossom." 
— [Charles D. Lakey, in Insurance. 

*'C. C. Hine was a stalwart figure in whatever walk 
of life he appeared. His character was sturdy and 
substantial in its development. Bom in New Haven, 
Conn., in 1825, he early went to the then Far West to 
try his fortune, and in those rigorous times he laid the 
foundations for a sound physiccd and mental manhood. 
He was successively school teacher, artist, leader in 
telegraphy, insurance agent and insurance officer. In 
1868 he purchased the * Insurance Monitor*, the oldest 
American insurance journal now in existence, and had, 
therefore, conducted it, as editor and proprietor, for 
upwards of thirty years. As a writer his style was 
original, vigorous and entertaining. He had strong 
opinions and never hesitated to express them. Es- 
pecially in fire insurance he left his impress upon the 
thought and practice of the time. He had a peculiar 
facility in verbal expression, and was often called upon 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 283 

to speak in public upon insurance subjects, his ad- 
dresses being always acceptable." 

— [Insurance Age. 

"And so our old friend and ever courteous con- 
temporary, Charles C. Hine, has gone over to the 
great majority. Although his stay here was longer in 
years than is the measure of time allotted earthly 
visitors, his departiire is none the less sorrowful to all 
of us who knew and loved him well for his exemplary 
characteristics. As editor of the Monitor, and as a 
comrade in a special field of journalism, we were 
proud of the cordial relationship that existed without 
friction or interruption for more than a score of years 
between C. C. Hine and us. *To him' — as Editor 
Davis well said in the minute adopted at the meeting 
of insurance journalists — 'are all insurance journalists 
debtors for the high standard of life and labor which 
he set and by his conduct exemplified'. But, as 
Brother Lakey graphically expressed it, in the resolu- 
tion he prepared for, and which was adopted by, the 
Life Underwriters' Association: 'When the end came 
he (C. C. Hine) was as a "shock of corn fully ripe", 
ready to be garnered. It was meet and fit that he 
should go thus swiftly with the light shining on him 
from worlds out of sight, for he had lived his life with 
such a transfer in view.' In adding a word of tribute 
to the fragrant memory of this good man may we not 
confidently voice the hope, as we say farewell to him, 
that peace and joy shall be his share for evermore?" 

— [Vigilant. 



284 WOODSIDE. 

"Personally, Mr. Hine was a most agreeable com- 
panion, well informed on a wide range of subjects, an 
easy and interesting talker, always ready with a good 
story and, what is somewhat rare among story tellers, 
as willing to listen as to tell. Everybody liked him, 
and he had the good word of the people where he had 
lived. The writer of this well remembers some twenty 
years ago being down at Peru, 111., on a case before 
Squire Underbill, a Justice of the Peace. The trial 
had drawn together quite a lot of old citizens, and 
while waiting for a witness a general conversation was 
indulged in. The writer happening to mention that 
he had just got back from New York, and insurance 
being referred to in connection with the visit, the 
*Squire's face lit up and he said: 'New York — ^why, 
that's where Charley Hine lives; runs an insurance 
paper down there. Do you know Charley?' The ques- 
tion being answered satisfactorily, one and another of 
the old citizens began to tell about when Charley Hine 
set up the telegraph in Peru along back in 1850, or 
thereabouts, and what a smart young fellow he was. 
and so pleasant and accommodating, too. We have 
no doubt that his acquaintance with Charley Hine 
helped the learned counsel to win his case, which was 
not an especially good one.'* — [Insurance. 

y. M. C. A. IN 1855. 

"The new Yoimg Men's Christian Association 
building on Pearl and Main streets was opened yes- 
terday to the public. * * * 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 285 

"A resume of the life of the Young Men's Christian 
Association in this city will be of interest to the read- 
ers. The association was first organized in this city 
in 1855 by C. C. Hine, and is said to be one of the old- 
est in the country." 

— '[New Albany (Ind.) Tribune, 1893. 

THE PATRIARCH RAISES HIS VOICE IN SONG. 
"I thought I knew the Patriarch fairly well, and 
that I was 'on' to all of his varied accomplishments. 
I knew that he could get upon his feet before an as- 
sembly and make an interesting talk, but I never 
knew until recently that he was a singer! I read in 
a report of the last meeting of the Fire Underwriters' 
Association of the Northwest that 'Father Hine was 
then introduced, and after a few jokes sang a song 
which evoked continuous laughter'. There is some- 
thing droll in the idea of it to me, but I would bet an- 
other (dinner) with whosoever would take me up that 
Mr. Hine acquitted himself with his usual complete- 
ness. He can do a good many things, and i' faith he 
can do 'em all well. He would not undertake any- 
thing he could not." 

— [Insurance World, November, 1896. 

AFTER THE BANQUET WAS OVER. 

"In his October Monitor, C. C. Hine modestly re- 
fers to 'a little occurrence' that followed the recent 
banquet of the Northwestern Association. The 'lit- 
tle occurrence' was a one-minute speech made by Mr. 



286 WOODSIDE. 

Hine himself, in the presence of a company of fifteen, 
in response to a very complimentary toast proposed 
by H. C. Eddy of this city (Chicago). As near as we 
can recall it, this is what the Patriarch said : 'Gentle- 
men, I am nearly three score and ten years old. It is 
getting to be half-past eleven with me, and the longer 
I live and the older I grow the more I appreciate the 
friendships I have made and the more I appreciate 
such friendly expressions as this.' Then, taking up 
his glass, he added, 'I became a teetotaler at the age 
of twelve, and must therefore drink with you in cold 
water.' The Patriarch said this from his heart, and 
the late hour and the deserted banquet hall added to 
the impressiveness of his remarks. But was he quite 
sure as to his own age? His eye is as bright and his 
voice as clear and ringing as when first we knew him, 
and his form is as erect and upright as his life has 
been. We repeated Mr. Hine's little speech to two 
grandmothers that we know, and they repeated it to 
'the boy', and the grandmothers told the boy that they 
hoped so good a temperance advocate would live a 
thousand years. 'So say we all of us' — God save the 
Patriarch!" 

— [Insurance Post, October, 1894. 

YE PATRIARCH AS A HOOSIER. 
[ Communicated. ] 
"Recently my travels took me to the quiet, yet 
beautiful, city of New Albany, Ind., and while walk- 
ing through its shady streets I remembered that the 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 287 

former home of Mr. C. C. Hine, the well-known un- 
derwriter, the accomplished writer, the able statis- 
tician, and the eloquent orator, was in this identical 
city. That here, when a local agent, he distributed 
blotting pads and cultivated the art of soliciting, 
which has served him many a good turn in later years. 
Here the foundation was laid for the broader work 
which fate had in store for him. The bright, young 
Hoosier, full of wit and good humor, was to become 
the grave and thoughtful 'Patriarch', honored and be- 
loved as a leader in his chosen profession. 

"There is a 'touch of nature' in us all, which in- 
spires a curiosity to know something of those who 
have succeeded in life — who have become distin- 
guished. That a great humorist should have wept at 
the tomb of Adam was to me no joke, provided that 
the spot selected was the genuine burial place of that 
eminent citizen. Who would not like to walk in the 
garden where Plato conversed, or view the forum 
from which Cicero spoke? To visit Avon and spend 
a day where Shakespeare sleeps will always be indeed 
a pleasure. Who, that is thoughtful, goes to Spring- 
field, or Galena, without seeing the modest houses 
where Lincoln and Grant lived, when unhonored and 
unknown. 

"With this feeling, I sought and found the little, 
old-fashioned brick building, where, a third of a cen- 
tury ago, was the insurance office of Mr. Hine. On 
the side of the hill, a few blocks away, was the unas- 
suming dwelling house, where the young agent lived 



288 WOODSIDE. 

in comfort and dignity, surrounded by a most loving 
family, and respected and esteemed by neighbors, 
many of whom have themselves since become known 
throughout the United States as wise statesmen, 
brave soldiers and honorable business men. 

"While in New Albany I was told many anecdotes 
illustrating Mr. Hine's goodness of heart, fondness 
for children and devotion to charitable and Christian 
work. These cannot be repeated at this time. The 
following, however, told me by an old citizen, illus- 
trates a type of manhood that, I fear, is becoming 
rarer each year, and is in danger of becoming, in time, 
entirely extinct: — 

"About 1853 the McCormick family offered the 
New Albany Theological Seminary $100,000 if that 
institution should be removed to Chicago. The offer 
was accepted, and Mr. Hine purchased the property 
which was vacated, and spent all the money he had, 
and all he could borrow, in erecting and fitting up 
buildings for a female college. The institution was 
thoroughly advertised, had the sympathy of the best 
people in the Southwest, and was about being opened 
under the most favorable auspices, when the financial 
crisis of 1857 swept over the West, cruelly prostrating 
and crushing thousands of the best and most public- 
spirited men in the country. Mr. Hine went down 
with the rest, losing every dollar he had, and being 
many thousand dollars in debt. He was broken up — 
badly broken up — but, fortunately, not broken down, 
for there is all the difference imaginable between the 



C. C. HINE—PERSONAL. 289 

two. Mr. Hine then returned to the insurance busi- 
ness, traveling awhile for the ^tna Insurance Com- 
pany, then becoming secretary of the International 
Insurance Company, subsequently, on the decease of 
the famous Tom Jones, purchasing the Insurance 
Monitor, at the head of which he has remained until 
the present time. 

"What became of his debts? Did he forget his 
creditors when he subsequently became prosperous, 
as so many others do? These were the questions I 
asked. Were the circumstances of his failure such as 
reflected unfavorably on his integrity and honesty? 
Did he afterward make settlements with his creditors 
that were satisfactory? Let others answer. 

**i. Gen. B. F. Scribner a well-known citizen of 
Indiana, and a resident of New Albany, said to me: 
'Mr. Hine's failure was an honest one, and in no way 
reflected unfavorably on his honesty and integrity. 
He subsequently made settlements with his creditors 
that were entirely satisfactory. His conduct all 
through his troubles was such as to command the re- 
spect and S3mipathy of all right-minded citizens. The 
brevity of this statement very feebly expresses my ad- 
miration for Mr. Hine's conduct and character.' 

**2. John C. Culbertson, Esq., formerly of New 
Albany, but now an honored resident of Santa Bar- 
bara, Cal., said: 'Mr. Hine has been my intimate 
friend for over thirty years. He failed in New Albany 
years ago. Borrowed money to pay his servants. 
The £tna Insurance Company advanced him $ioo to 



290 WOODSIDE. 

support his little family in this trying time. Since 
then he has prospered, and has hunted up his credit- 
ors and paid them all in full, with interest, in some in- 
stances more than two dollars for one. He is an up- 
right. Christian gentleman.' 

"3. L. G. Mathews, Esq., vice-president of the 
Ohio Falls Car Company, said: *Mr. Hine's failure 
was due solely to the depressed condition of the times, 
financially. I was one of his creditors, and never 
knew of any one who complained of his honesty or 
want of integrity. As fast as he recovered from his 
misfortunes, and could spare the money, he devoted 
it to paying his debts. His manner of doing it was 
characteristic. He picked out the poorest and neediest 
of his creditors and paid them first. As an incident, I 
failed in business in 1872. Mr. Hine heard of it and 
sent me his check for principal and interest in full. I 
doubt if there is a man living, who, having left New 
Albany, could return and receive such a cordial wel- 
come from all who knew him.' 

"4. Walter Mann, Esq., formerly a banker at New 
Albany, and now a resident of Minneapolis, said: 
*Mr. Hine left New Albany largely in debt and with 
nothing to begin the world again with, except experi- 
ence and the best wishes of his friends. He afterward 
paid his debts, principal and interest. I was one of 
his creditors and speak whereof I know. His failure 
was an honest one and his conduct characterized by 
the highest integrity and honor. He paid his debts 
after he had ceased to be under any obligations to do 



C. C. HINE— PERSONAL. 291 

SO, and his record shows his thorough old-fashioned 
honesty and entire devotion to what he regards his 
duty.' 

"This article is written without the knowledge of 
Mr, Hine, and purely as a labor of love. In common 
with thousands of other underwriters I am indebted 
to the editor of the Monitor in a way that can never 
be paid with money." I. W. H. 

[The above was published in an Indianapolis (Ind.) 
paper about 1890.] 



APPENDIX. 



REPORT OF THE FIRST YEAR OF THE 
WOODSIDE SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

(This and the school census are given because they 
furnish many names of early residents.) 

Organized Sunday, June i6, 1867. 
Completed a year (52 Sundays), June 14, 1868. 
No Sunday omitted during the year. 

Names enrolled during year 121 

Total attendance during year ........ 3,024 

Average attendance during year 58 

Contributions (begun July 7, 1867) . ..$107.28 
Smallest attendance, 44; largest 71. 

Organization consists of 11 classes, 3 librarians, i 
organist, i superintendent. Number of books in li- 
brary, 250; amount expended on account of library 
and papers, $150. 

Class No. I has had one teacher, Mrs. Sarah L. 
Tompkins. The names enrolled are Ida Cox, Nelly 
Gait, Mary White, Frances Honess, Christina Coey- 
man, Anna Chappell, Alice Chappell, Hannah Filand, 
Emma Forbes. 

Class No. 2. — One teacher, Mrs. Jenny Stimis. 
Enrollment: Ada Joralemon, Eva Rogers, Fanny 
Bennett, Jessie Dalrymple, Ellen Mackey, Emma 
Royce, Jenny Fisher. 

Class No. 3. — One teacher, Thomas Kinscy. En- 



296 WOODSIDE. 

rollment: David Bennett, Willie Pratt, Walter 
Clark, Theo. Palmer, Henry Mackey, Livingston 
Forbes, William Fisher. 

Class No. 4. — One teacher. Miss Annie Kinsey. 
Enrollment: Fanny Winser, Bella Gore, Kate Dal- 
rymple, May McDonald, Anne Crane, Mary Bennett, 
Mary Phillips. 

Class No. 5. — One teacher, John C. Bennett. En- 
rollment: Willie Faitoute, Alvah Stimis, Willie Earl, 
Willie Clark, Harry Winser, George Boyden, Elven 
Forbes, John Beach, Fred Moore, Frank Moore, Wal- 
ter Harlan. 

Class No. 6. — Three teachers, Mrs. Bell Z. 
Booeram, Prof. A. Bigelow, Miss J. A. Avery. En- 
rollment: Henry Pettit, Avery Hine, George Gore, 
Charles Van Nostrand, Will Cumming, Wm. Smith, 
Charles F. Eddowes. 

Class No. 7. — Two teachers, Harris McFarlin, Mrs. 
Harris McFarlin. Enrollment: Allen Earle, Garry 
Mackey, Charles Briggs, William Epworth, Alex 
Van Riper. 

Class No. 8. — One teacher, Mrs. Anne Callen. En- 
rollment: Abby Tompkins, Jenny Stimis, Matty 
Palmer, Cora Clark, Gabrielle ScharfF, Letitia White, 
Lottie Coeyman. 

Class No. 9. — One teacher, Miss Hannah Teel. 
Enrollment : Emma Tompkins, Jenny Morrison, Nelly 
Baldwin, Anna Swinnerton, Laura Palmer, Belle 
White, Carrie Morrison, Emma Keen, Gilbert Hine, 
Neddy Hine, Joseph Swinnerton, Willie Roberts, 



APPENDIX. 297 

Clarence Swinnerton, Charley Mackey, Fred'k Som- 
mers, Henry Sommers, Johnny Gore, Johnny Morri- 
son, Lottie Francisco, Jenny White, Harry Callen, 
Jimmy Carroll, Monroe Coeyman, Miles Coeyman, 
Alie McFarlin, Lulu Farmer, Violet Scharff, Johnny 
Evans, Arthur Stimis, Lavina Van Riper, Stella Joral- 
emon, Freddy Beach, Freddy Faitoute, Caroline Coey- 
man, De Witt Joralemon. 

The above nine classes were the original organiza- 
tion. 

Class No. 10. — One teacher, George Blackwood. 
Enrollment: George Blackwood, John Blackwood, 
Arte Bigelow. 

Class No. II. — One teacher, Mrs. Mary H. Hine. 
Enrollment: Carrie Day, Emma Sandford, Mary 
Sandford, Susie Mackey, Mary Carter, Lizzie Carter. 

Showing the present regular membership to be: — 

Scholars, 68 ; teachers, 1 1 ; librarians, 3 ; organist, 
I ; superintendent, i. 



OF 

TOTA^NSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN 

roil THE 'STEA-H. BITID 



To amount of Tax Duplicate $15,501 22 

State School Fund due District Woodside 1 14 04 



$16,616 26 



THE 

SHIP OF WOODSIDE, ESSEX COUNTY, 

IlSra- .A.FTi.IlL. GTtl, 1870. 

Cr. 

Paid P. S. Plerson, County Collector $5,720 00 

Woortslde school District, Teacher's Salary 150 00 

Montgomery " " " 150 00 

Chas. D. Morrison, 1 $4 00 

Clias. Akers, > Judges ot Elections 4 00 

Alfred Keene, ) 4 00 

12 00 

Ellas Osbom, Assessor's Fees. 77 82 

Births, Deaths, Marriages and Militia. 

Chas. Akers, Collector's Fees 172 48 

Gilbert W. Camming, Attorney Fees 60 00 

E W. Cobb, Justice's Fees 4 28 

Gilbert W. Camming, 1 $58 00 

Chas. C. Hine, 44 00 

John McMullen, S Town Committee 44 00 

Theodore G. Palmer. 54 00 

Eugene D. Smith, J 44 00 

244 00 

Jesse Bennett, Sr., i $6 00 

Nath. J. Crane, > Commissioners of Appeals 6 00 

Jas. S. Gamble, ) 6 00 

18 00 

Jas. Swinnerton, Jr., Clerk's Fees $96 00 

" " Clerk to Commissioners 8 00 

104 00 

Chas. Akers, Overseer of the Poor, Fees $5 00 

" " For the Support of the Poor 57 39 

62 39 

Alfred Keene, Expenses in Procuring a Copy of Supplement 7 50 

Dodd Bros., Township Seal 6 00 

Newark Dally Journal, Kotices of Meetings 4 10 

" " Advertiser, " " 1 00 

A. P.Young, Copying and Engrossing Bill for Presentation to the 

IiCgislature 5 00 

Chas. I). Morrison, Ballot Box 14 00 

Fogg& Sanborn, Township Books, Tin Box for Clerk 12 50 

Interest on Town Notes, Discounted 151 44 

Boad District, No. 1, Sum Appropriated and Expended 800 00 

No.2, " " " 800 00 

No. 3, " " "... $800 00 

liOanedtoDistrict No. 4 200 00 

Expended in District No.3 656 09 

Eoad District, No. 4, Sum Appropriated $800 00 

Borrow ed from and Due District No. 3 200 00 

Expended in District .^ o. 4 1,000 00 

Road District No. 5, Sum Appropriated and Expended 800 00 

Amount of Uncollected Taxes to Date 3,588 21 

Taxes Remitted by the Commissioners 348 40 

Balance of Cash on hand 656 05 

$15,615 26 

JAMES SWINNERTON, Jr., 

GILBERT W.CDMMING, 1 Town Clerk. 

CHAS. CHINE, 

JOHN MCMULLEN, )■ Town Committee. 

THEODORE G. PALMER, | 

EUGENE B. SMITH, J 



300 



WOODSIDE. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DISTRICT CLERK OF 

TOWNSHIP OF WOODSIDE 

August 31, i86g 



Children Between 5 and 18 Years of Age 

Parents or Ouardians. No. 

Barney Agnew i 

<( << 2 

" " 3 

♦• «« 4 

" " 5 

G. A. Boyden 6 

John C. Bennett 7 

♦' " " 8 

" " " 9 

Geo. H. Bartholomew 10 

«' " " II 

Baxter T. Blackwood 12 

13 

Edwin Benson 14 

Artemus Bigelow 15 

Francis Clough 16 

Franklin Baldwin 17 

William A. Bradford 18 

«« •' " 19 

Timothy Barrett 20 

<« " 21 

Albert Beach 22 

" " 23 

24 



Residing in the District 
Children. 
Daniel Agnew 
Joseph " 
James " 
Agnes " 
Andrew " 
George O. Boyden 
Fanny Bennett 
David " 
Mary " 

Emily T. Bartholomew 
Lewis " 

George Blackwood 
John " 

Edwin Benson 
Arte Bigelow 
Frank Bennett 
Nellie Baldwin 
Esther C. Bradford 
Millie 

Catherine Barrett 
Michael " 

William Beach 
John " 

Maria '* 



APPENDIX. 



301 



Parents or Gtiardians. ^o. 

Albert Beach 25 

" " 26 

Mrs. Mary Hopkins 27 

Thomas H. Coeyman 28 

i( (( »« 29 

'« " " 30 

George B. Callen 31 

Franklin Pratt 32 

" " 33 

William A. Clark 34 

•' " 35 

Gilbert W, Gumming 36 

Horace Carter 37 

Henry Coeyman 38 

39 

«« " 40 

J. S. L. Cummings 41 

Edward Carragan 42 

N.J.Crane 43 

" " " 44 

" " " 45 

Joseph Dreyfous 46 

47 

«« " 48 

'« " 49 

Reuben W. Earl 50 

" 51 

Anthony Epworth 52 

E. G. Faitoute 53 

" " " 54 

G. W. Gore 55 

" » " 56 

Wilbur Garrabrant 57 

«« " 58 

Oliver Gordon 59 



Children. 
Fred Beach 
Josephine " 
Hattie L. Barnes 
Harriet Coeyman 
Monroe " 
Miles " 

Harry Callen 
Annie Chappall 
Alice " 

William T. Clark 
Walter A. *' 
William Gumming 
Lizzie Carter 
Lottie Coeyman 
Mary " 

Caroline " 
Bessie Cummings 
Edward Carragan 
Frank S. Crane 
Jennie M. " 
Sarah " 

Walter Dreyfous 
Adele " 

Gertrude '• 
Herbert " 
Willie Earl 
Charlie " 
W^illiam Epworth 
Willie Faitonte 
Freddie " 
Belle Gore 
Johnnie Gore 
Frank Garrabrant 
George " 
Bertie Gordon 



302 



WOODSIDE. 



Parents or Guardians. No. 

William Hunter 60 

61 

William J. Harlan 62 

63 

Daniel Halsey 64 

C. C. Hine 65 

" " " 66 

" " " 67 

Ralph Hyde 68 

'« 69 

" «' 70 

Robert Honess 71 

S.U.Bard 72 

William Kennedy 73 

74 

75 

George W, Keene 76 

James S. Mackie .... 77 

" " " 78 

«« «' ♦« 79 

'« " " 80 

" 81 

Mrs. Mary F. Mann 82 

Charles D. Morrison 83 

<' '« «< 84 

85 

Ashley Melius 86 

Bethuel Munn 87 

" " 88 

John McDonald 89 

90 

John H. Mackey 91 

♦' " " 92 

" " " 93 

" " " 94 

Mrs. Sarah Moore 95 



Children. 
Lizzie Hunter 
Annie " 
Melville Harlan 
Walter " 
George Halsey 
Avery Hine 
Gilbert " 
Edward «' 
Florence Hyde 
Alice " 

Ralph " 

Charles W. Honess 
A. Judson 
Mary E. Kennedy 
Sarah " 

Elizabeth " 
Emma Keene 
Clara Mackie 
Chas. P. Mackie 
Stewart J. Mackie 
Robert O. " 
Alia C. 
Ella Mann 
Jennie Morrison 
Carrie " 
Johnnie " 
Theodore Melius 
Jennie Munn 
Louisa " 
Mary S. McDonald 
John P. 

Charlie Mackey 
Henry " 

Garry " 

Ella 
Frank Moore 



APPENDIX. 



303 



Parents or Guardians. No. 

Mrs. Sarah Moore 96 

(< X «l M 

George Megrath 98 

<< «« QQ 

Patrick McCabe 100 

•« " lOI 

Michael McGrann 102 

Cornelius Mclntire 103 

«« «« 104 

" «' 105 

«« «• 106 

Mrs. Holt 107 

«« «« 108 

J.C.Neagles 109 

Lewis A. Osbom no 

•« «« '< Ill 

«( it «< 112 

Francis O'Conner 113 

William F. Pettit 114 

Theodore G. Palmer 115 

•» «« •* 116 

«« «« «« 117 

John M. Phillips "8 

<i <« «« Iig 

Franklin Pratt xao 

«« " 121 

Charles Peine 122 

Albert D. Richardson 123 

«< «» 124 

" »« «' 125 

H. S. McGrain 126 

John Redding 127 

F.A.Sherman 128 

James Swinnerton ... 129 

•• »« 130 

Gilbert Stimis 131 



Children. 
Fred Moore 
Charlie '« 
Robert S. Megrath 
Clara " 

Fannie McCabe 
Nellie 

Annie McGrann 
Sarah Mclntire 
Caroline " 
Margaret " 
Louisa '* 
Charles Maxwell 
Sarah " 

Emma Neagles 
\Villiam Osbom 
Maria " 

Emily " 

Mary O'Conner 
Henry Pettit 
Mattie Palmer 
Theodore Palmer 
Laura " 

Willie Phillips 
Albert " 
Will Pratt 
Frank '• 
Charles Peine 
Leander Richardson 
Maude " 

Allie " 

Philoniena Ryan 
Richard Redding 
Ella T. Sherman 
Annie Swinnerton 
Joe " 

Jennie Stimis 



304 



WOODSIDE. 



Parents or Ouardia7is. No. 

Gilbert Stimis 132 

Mrs. Sarah Smith 133 

Mrs. Snowden 134 

W. V. Snyder 135 

Henry Stimis 136 

" 137 

John Searle 138 

139 

Robert Smith 140 

" X41 

Edward Spooner 142 

T. J. Tobias 143 

" " " 144 

145 

" " " 146 

Daniel Tompkins 147 

148 

E. J. Vreeland 149 

" " " 150 

151 

Adrian Van Riper 152 

153 

Peter White 154 

" 155 

William A. Wauters 156 

Charles H. Tyler 157 



Children. 
Alvah Stimis 
Lemuel Smith 
Susan Simpson 
W^atson B. Snyder 
Clara Stimis 
Henry " 
Joseph Searle 
Jane " 

Robert E. Smith 
Charles L. " 
Thos. H. Spooner 
Fannie Tobias 
Nellie 

Charles " 
Emily " 

Abigal Tompkins 
Emma " 

Kate Vreeland 
Helena " 
Cyrus ' ' 
Lavinia Van Riper 
Alexander " 
Richard White 
Beckie " 
Lucinda Wauters 
Elmira Tyler 



CONTENTS. 



Abbott, Horace 119 

Adams, Mary Ann 91 

Alexander, James G 49 

Ananias. Mr 142-146 

Anecdotes 71, 8T, 178. 179. 194 

Appendix 295-304 

Avery, Miss Jane A 212 



Back Road 66 

Baker. Matthias 96, 99 

Ballantine Property on Old Bloomfield 

Road 96 

Banks, Matthew 37 

Bartholf, John G 97 

Beach, Albert 98. 230 

Bellars 248-250 

Bennett, Jesse C 67, 78, 88 

Bennett, Capt. Thomas 90, 141 

Bennett, William 109, 114 

Benson, Col. Henry 92 

Benson's Mill 91 

Bird, George and Jonathan 90, 140 

"Bird" House 140, 141 

Bird's Woods 108 

Black Tom 32 

Blewett, Lieut.-Ck)l. W. E 243-246 

Bloomfield Road, Old 93 

Blue Jay Woods 104 

Boating on the Passaic 251 

Pody Snatching 11 

Poot Leg Lane 64, 65 

British on Woodside Soil 84 

British Troops on River Road 34, 36 

Buck, Col. Samuel L 239 

Buried Treasure 35 

Button Factory 62 



Calico Print Works 89 

Calico Print Works Property 141, 142 

Cannon Balls from the Passaic 59 

Canoeing on the Passaic 253 

Carter, Horace 25, 38 

Cedars, The 15 

Christ Church Building, First 190 

Christ Church, Chronology of the New 

Building 193 

Christ Church, Form of Covenant of 187 

Christ Church, Formation of 182-190 

Christ Church Organized in House of C. 

C. Hine , 182, 184 

Church Choir, The 195 

Church, First, of Woodside 173 

Church Services in the House of C. C. 

Hine 161, 162. 171-175 

Coeyman Burial Ground, Stones in.. 59-62, 63 

Coeyman Genealogy 51 

Coeyman, Hendrick 59 

Coeyman, Mlnard 50, 75 

Coeyman Possessions, Extent of 52 

Coeyman Reminiscence 53 

Coeymans of the Back Road 67, 94 

Cooper, Peter 114 

Crane Family, Notes on the 126 

Crane, Jasper 100. 126. 127 



Cummjng. Gen. Gilbert W 230 

Dead Man's Bend 31 

Pe Grow, Moll 10 

Devil, The, in the Gully Road 12 

Discomforts of a New Region 15S, 159 

Division Road i.64, 65 

Dolce, Sanchez y 23 

Dow, Lorenzo 94 

Drift Road 67, 72 



306 



WOODSIDE. 



Dryden, John F 241 

Duncan, John, William and Sebastian. .26, 29 
Dnxbury, Margaret 58 

E 

Eagle Printing Company 90 

Early Conveyances 158 

Edgecombe House 65 

Election Ticket, First 197 

Elliott Street School 88 

Ellsworth, CoL Elmer E 214-222 

Elwood Place 68 

Ericsson, John 118 

Erie Railroad 168 

Erie Eailroad Brought to Terms 248 

Erskin Map No. 79 59 

F 

Fairs, Cake Sales and Lectures 164-168 

Fairy Lamps 89 

Farrand Family History 104 

Farrand Genealogy 106 

Farrand, Moses, Home 104 

Ferrant-Farrand 106 

First Reformed Church 189 

First Reformed Church Building 190, 198 

Fishing at Green Island 23 

Flavel 69 

Floating Palace 30 

Forest Hill Before Morristown 104 

Forrester, Frank 15-22, 24 

Fort on Mt. Prospect 102 

G 

Ghost of a British Spy 15 

Ghost of Flesh and Blood 91 

Gibbs, Alfred H 37 

Godon, John 100 

Gray & Wright 90 

Green Island 23 

Griffln, Dr. Edward D 106 

Grist Mill on Old Bloomfleld Road 94 

Gully Road 7-22 

Gully Road Ghost 7 

Gully Road, Legend Accounting for Ori- 
gin of 7 

Gypsies on Murphy's Lane 113 



H 

Handcock, Edward 100 

Hare and Tortoise 19 

Haugevort, Gerard 70 

Hedden, Joseph, Jr., Son of 35, 97 

Herbert, Henry William 15-22, 24 

Hessians Bury Loot 46 

Hewes & Phillips Iron Works 233 

Hewitt, Abram S 114 

Highwaymen on the Back Road 86 

Hine, C. C, Anecdotes of 171, 136, 

203, 205, 206, 207, 208. 209 

Hine, C. C— Personal 259-291 

Hine, Charles Cole, Early History of. 132-135 

Hine, Mary Hazard Avery 209 

Hine, Mr., First Visits Woodside 137 

Hine, Mr., Impressions of 256 

nine's, Mr., Character, Notes on 202-209 

Holt, Ed 30 

Holt, Ed., Floating Palace of 252 

Holt, Mrs 30 

Horse Cars, First 169 

Houses Erected in 1866-7 139 

Houses of Early Settlers 140 

Houses on Lincoln Avenue 139 

Houses on the River Road 139 

Houses on Washington Avenue 138 

I 

I'AnsoD, Miles 70, 71 

I'Anson Property, Previous Owners of.. 72-74 

lanthe Canoe Club 253 

Incidents of Early Days of the Church. . 194 

Indian Name of Woodside 110 

Indian Relics in Gully Road 9 

Indian Relics on River Road 62 

Indian Trails 7, 93 

Indians, Fort for Protection from 102 

Indians on the Old Bloomfleld Road 103 

Irving, Washington, in Woodside 168 

J 

Jackson, George 29 

Janes, Dr. J. E 248 

Johns, Joseph 109, 110, 111 

K 

Keen, Alfred 104, 109 

Keen Family History 98 



CONTENTS. 



307 



Keen Farm House "° 

Kldd, Captain, Legend of 149 

Keen Lane 85, 99 

King, J. F 6T 

King, Jasper 27, 33 

King, Phoebe 27, 33 

King, "Poddy" 27,33 

Kinsey, Thomas W 24C, 247 



Lanes, Early 85, 99 

Lime Kiln 49 

Lincoln Avenue, The Trees of 236 

Long Hill Road 93 

Longworth, Isaac 102 

Longworth, Martha 101 

Longworth, Nicholas 102 

M 

Macauley, Dr. John M 191 

Maclure, David 237 

Magazine House 85 

Maverick 37 

Melius, Esley 42 

Mellen, Rev. Henry Merle 192, 194 

Merrimac, The 118, 120 

Merrimac's Engineer, Tale of the 120 

Monitor, Sinking of the 122 

Monitor, The 116-126 

Monitor, The, Turret Machinery 234 

Moore & Seeley 91 

Morris, John 97 

Morrison, Charles D 150 

Morrison and Briggs 150 

Mud, Plenty of 159 

Munn Family History 40 

Murphy's Lane 107 

Murphytown 109, 112 

Mystery Solved 62 

N 

New Barbadoes 38 

Nichols, Horace H 25, 213 

O— P 

"Old Johns's Money" Ill 

Park Athletic Association 69 

Passaic, Boating on 231 



PasE^aic, Canoeing on 253 

Passaic. First Recorded Boat Race on... 21 

Perou, Tract, The 77 

Phillips, David 75 

Phillips Family History 75 

Phillips Farm 74-79, 83 

Phillips. .John Morris 70, 83, 233 

Phillips Lane 66 

Pigot, Dr. Edward 1, 22 

Pioneering in Woodside 179 

Poblshon, Indian Name of Woodside . . . 110 

Point House 26-32 

Prayer Meeting, First 174 

Presbyterian Church Organized 172, 173 

Presbyterian Church Organized in House 

of C. C. Hiue 171 

Presbyterian Church, Pastors of 181 

Presbyterian Church, Split in 176, 177 

Prudential Insurance Company, Its Start 242 
PuUlnger, Mrs. Dorcas or Gilbert 43, 78 

R 

Rano, Joseph S 23 

Reminiscences by Mr. Swlnnerton. ..158, 196 

Retreat from Belleville 168 

Revolutionary Camp Ground 240 

Revolutionary Incident 35, 36, 46. 53, 

76, 81, 83, 84 

Ridgewood 154 

River Road 7-71 

River Road an Indian Trail 7 

River Road Laid Out in 1707 7 

Riverside Athletic Club 68 

Roads, Old 5 

Rowe, Henry 22 

s 

St. John's Episcopal Church 145. 148 

Sandford, Abraham. Jr 22. 38, 39 

Sandf ord Family History 38 

ScharfC, Adrian 95 

Schenck, Rev. Isaac Van Wart 192 

Second River, Inhabitants of 1 

Shields Guards 109 

Sidman Family History 99-102 

Sldman House 102 

Slave, Last? in Woodside 37 

Smelt of the Pasasic, Memoir on 24 



308 



WOODSIDE. 



Smith, "White-house" 95 

Smith, "Brick-house" 91) 

Smith, Ebenczer 95 

Smith, Matthias 107, 96, 99 

Smith, Robert 95, 96 

Stimis, Christopher 45, 52 

Stimis Family Traditions 44 

Stimis, Heury 45 

Stimis, John 43, 44, 45, 75 

Stimis Lane 85 

Stimis, William 24, 45, 52, 63, 64, 75 

Stout, Capt. Jacob 90, 141 

Strawberry Lot 68 

Street Car Octopus 5 

Street Cars 200 

Sunday Horse Cars, No 232 

Sunday School, First, in Newarls Ill 

Sunday School, First, in Woodside 110 

Sunday School in Elliott Street 181 

Sunday School in the House of C. C. 

Hine 160. 161, 170 

Sunday School of June 16, 1867 161 

Sunday School Proposed 160 

Sunday School, Report of First Year of.. 295 

Swlnnerton, James 229 

Swlnnerton, James, Reminiscences by 

158-168. 196-199 
Sydtnham-Sidman 01>. 102 



Taxes, What We Get for Our 3 

Teel, Miss Hannah 175 

Terhune Place 37 

Thomas, Thomas 62 

Thornhill 37 

Timby, Dr. Theodore R 117, 118 

Tobey, William 64 

Tobey's Lane 65 

Tolcr, Hugh . 37 

Toll Gate on Old Bloowfleld Road 94 

Tompliins, Daniel F 53, 240 

Tompliins, Francis 49 

Tory, A 103 

Town Meetings 199 

Tragedy, A Woodside • 199 

Trail, James 113 



Triton Boat Club 251 

Two Bottles 46 

V 

Van Cortlandt Genealogy 55 

Van Cortlandt House, Old 55-57, 68 

Van Cortlandt, Stephen 55, 59 

Van Emburgh, Abraham 26, 42 

Van Emburgh, Capt. Chris 32 

Van Rensselaer, John 57, 58 

Van Riper. Charles 107 

Van Winlile, Polly 39. 112 

Washington Avenue, Opening of ....153, 158 
Washington, Gen'l, on the Back Road... 92 
Washington, Gen'l, on the River Road . . 53 

Wauters, William T 109, 112 

Wayne, Anthony, Camp 33, 34, 79, 240 

Weeks, Dr. GrenviUe M 114-126 

Weiler, Peter 248 

We.st, Joseph 70 

Winser, Henry J., Reminiscences of.. 214-229 
Wlnser, Henry J., Settles in Woodside.. 138 

Witch, A, of the Gully Road 10 

Woodside, 1868-9 196-199 

Woodside a Part of Belleville 2, 151 

Woodside a Part of Bloomfield 2 

Woodside a Township 2, 154-157 

\Voodside Absorbed by Newark 3 

Woodside Before March, 1743 1 

Woodside Formerly Ridgewood 164 

Woodside in 1849, Map of— Facing Page 1 

Woodside — Its Boundaries 1, a 

Woodside Molasses Jar, A 148 

Woodside School Census, 1869 300-304 

Woodside, The, of 1867 168 

Woodside Township, First Annual Report 

of 298. 299 

Woodside, When There Were No Politics 

In 225 

Y— Z 

Yereance, James 116 

Zenana Mission Band 210 



HKZ48-78 



^^s 










^^•n^. 



'^_ *: 






* .V 




'ii'^ 



'-!-<,<• " ' , 






\^ .. -^ 




^" V, 




V ^L'Aj 








^^.^' ^\^>k^ --^^A^ '^^^\ \.<p^ o.^fei'" -^-^..^ 




.V^ °^ *•"•<> ^0 \. "' ^ ., ^ 




iO-n,. 



K: " r„Sff««. k'- .o-^ *,. ■:^'- .*^ "o, '.^-- ^0 



